We Shouldn't Be
by PeRiD0TpR1nCeSs
Summary: Sasuke had made many wrong turns in life, so he had learnt to recognise the signs. This time, he knew that loving his shy friend was possibly the only right choice he would ever make in this lifetime, and he wasn't about to let anyone tell him otherwise. Highschool AU.
1. Chapter 1

**Part I**

"Sasuke-kun, w-what is the meaning of this?" Hinata blurted.

"We need some time away from each other." Uchiha Sasuke was on close terms with the Hyuuga heiress, much to the disdain of Hinata's father and her overprotective cousin. Sasuke had always been a recluse, but he had allowed the shy princess to crawl into the confines of his heart. It was dark and stifling, but he would kill without hesitation to keep her presence in his life.

He had always found her features beautiful – from the slight curve of her nose, small, plump lips with a tinge of pink, to her wide, pearl doe-eyes. The ever-present blush on her cheeks which had grown endearing to the stoic Uchiha, coupled with a natural regal aura that she exuded would make a perfect blushing Hyuuga princess. One thing thatSasuke truly appreciated about her was her ability to keep silent. Scratch that, she wouldenjoy the silence together with him. Her presence was calming, and he could not possiblythink of a flaw in this companion of his. Her kindness knew no bounds as well as herhumility, yet her willpower was unbreakable, altogether making her an ethereal being too pure to be walking the dirty streets of Earth.

Sasuke for one appreciated her inner strength and beauty, but it would have beengreat if it had stopped there. Since a year ago, he had been suppressing his desire to touchher. Occasionally he would purposely allow their fingers or shoulders to brush, proceeding to observe her blush deepen from the corner of his eyes with an odd sense of satisfaction he could not even begin to fathom. He also began to notice how her curves stood out compared to other females, as well as the sheer tranquility she emanated simply from being there. The sirens in his head were ringing excruciatingly loud to warn him of the signs of falling in love with his quiet companion. This was becoming a dangerous game and he knew it. He was losing grip of reality, and he had to stop himself.

"I'm not saying we can't be friends. It's just...I need time," he mumbled softly.

Once again, they were in his house studying for finals as part of their weekly routine. Many months ago, Hinata would have never imagined spending time alone with Uchiha Sasuke in his house _alone_. It was thanks to Naruto that she managed to forge a new friendship with his reticent best friend, but the reason why she was sitting here in his house was due to a shared project months ago. They had been paired together and Sasuke often invited her over for convenience to work on the project, but even after its submission the two seemed to continue this routine of studying together.

However, Itachi started to shoot them occasional winks when he passed them in the living room, so the duo decided to migrate to Sasuke's bedroom to rid themselves of the awkwardness. Sasuke knew that his elder brother was fond of Hinata, since he would drop subtle hints that he wouldn't mind her as a sister-in-law. The scary part was when he realised he wouldn't mind entertaining the idea.

"I...I'm sure we can work things out. Did I do something to make you upset?" Hinata inquired. Her voice wavered slightly, and he knew she was nervous. Confrontations had always been out of her comfort zone, but trust Hinata to assume that everything was her fault.

"No, but I can't really say it. I care, Hinata...perhaps too much." He secretly hoped that she did not catch the last part but he had no such luck.

"W-What do you mean?"

It all happened in a flash, and the next thing she knew was that Sasuke's face was inches from hers, both his palms planted onto the ground on either side of her body. Her face burned crimson and she willed herself not to faint at their close proximity. He continued to inch closer till she could feel his breath fanning over her lips. His eyes were half-lidded yet she could see a sense of alertness behind those obsidian hues.

 _He knows what he's doing...but why..?_

For the longest time the two stared at each other, noses touching and lips a centimetre away. Her eyes slid shut, and it was that moment when rationality took over Sasuke. He bit his lip and brought his head to her left shoulder, resting his forehead on the soft fabric of her school uniform.

"Sasuke-kun..?" she whispered breathlessly.

"I'm sorry," he replied. In all honesty he was not. He gently held her upper arms and stayed in that position for several minutes. Hinata watched the seconds tick by on his clock, and soon enough she snaked an arm up to the nape of his neck, her fingers caressing the sensitive area between soft strands of ebony hair.

"Hinata-"

"Ne, Sasuke-kun, everything will be okay." She stroked his hair slowly and affectionately like a mother would for her child. "If you can't talk to me about it, I'm sure Naruto-kun would listen."

He suspected that a vein had already popped out on his temple. It was always about the dobe, wasn't it? He wanted to blame her for his current state of anguish and confusion, yet her innocence was stirring up guilt even before he could get the words out of his throat. _Damn her. Damn that face, body, voice, everything._

Sasuke was a selfish bastard, and he was well aware of it. The girl in his arms was his friend who loved another since the first day of elementary school. What right did he have to take her for himself? Granted, Naruto was as dense as a London fog and had been unable to realise Hinata's affection for him for a good ten years. Instead, the idiot chose topine after his best friend's greatest fangirl, and had been going at it for the longest time. Naruto was known for his iron will, and he always seemed to be proud of himself whenever he proclaimed that he would never give up on anything, be it his dreams or Sakura. Hell, the dense idiot did not deserve Hinata, but who was he to say anything?

He leaned out slightly to look into her blushing face. From such a close distance, her cheeks were a pretty pink, and her shiny eyes reflected understanding and patience which stirred up ambiguous feelings in his gut. He reached out to brush her hair behind her ear, fingers slowly trailing along the shell, earlobe, and finally past her ear studs. When his hands fell back to his lap, Hinata smiled and innocently lifted her pinky for him to hook his own with.

"Friends forever, ne?"

Sasuke sighed, cursing himself to no end. Hinata realised that he was not intending to reciprocate her gesture and awkwardly retracted her hand to fumble with her skirt. He must think I'm really childish...she mused.

"Hinata, there's one thing you need to know, and that is I am very selfish."

 _We can't be friends forever. Not when I want you this badly._

Hinata gawked at him and opened her mouth to deny the statement but he quickly interrupted her.

"There's something out there that I want but can't have, and it's getting annoying." Sasuke idly reached for her hand resting on her lap, tracing circles tenderly on the soft flesh. He hoped that he could get his message across clearly without having to spout cheesy nonsense. Hinata would most definitely catch on.

At this moment Hinata's heart was going into overdrive yet she could not will herself to pull back. Her body felt paralysed, letting the raven-haired male continue with his ministrations. She was beginning to understand what he was insinuating, but her mind refused to believe that the mighty Uchiha, Konoha High's heartbreaker, harboured any sort of romantic feelings for plain ol' Hinata. Her blush had already spread to her neck and in the next instant, she collapsed into his arms. Sasuke jerked back and stared at her unconscious form, unsure of what to do. Sighing, he picked up the heiress and laid her on his bed, pulling the covers up to her neck.

 _Great, now my bedsheet is gonna smell like her too._

It was about an hour later when Hinata woke up, feeling slightly groggy. She glanced around the room, taking in the surroundings and concluding that what happened with Sasuke had not been a mere dream. What was she going to do now? She swung her feet off the bed and trudged towards the living room, peeking out of the door shyly. There, she saw the dark-haired boy nestled comfortably on the couch with a hand over his eyes. From the slow, steady breaths he was taking, she was sure that he was asleep. She approached his sleeping figure stealthily and admired his pale countenance.

His complexion was an alabaster shade like hers, contrasted with his dark raven hair that spiked out cutely at the back with bangs framing his face. His features were clearly aristocratic, being sharp and defined at all the right places. He certainly fit the girls' description as a dark prince. She slowly lowered herself to a kneeling position in front of his face and gingerly brushed away a stray strand of hair caught between his slightly parted lips. She squeaked when his hand found hers and in that moment she felt like a bucket of cold water had just been dumped onto her upon realising that he had caught her ogling him when he was asleep.

"I-I'm sorry, I d-didn't mean to-"

"Hinata," he muttered. "We shouldn't be doing this." His features were schooled into an unusual crestfallen expression though his eyes were bereft of emotions, as if they had all been drained from him.

"We shouldn't be friends."

Her eyes turned downcast in that instant, feeling the sting of his words.

"You shouldn't love him."

Hinata wanted to argue, but the words were stuck in her throat. Something in Sasuke's face told her that he didn't want to hear her out, so she kept her lips pursed. Hopefully he would explain himself, come clean with her about his ambiguous feelings to clear her confusion.

But he never did.

* * *

 **AN:** Hello everyone, thank you for reading this haha it's my first fanfic. As I work on the next few chapters I'll also be editing some of the previous ones. No worries the plot won't change, just the language and minor stuff. I suspect I must have been high or something because most of these chaps had been written in the wee hours of the night...hence the quality. Ugh why is everything so troublesome..

Anyway sorry folks, I promise the next chapter will be up once I'm done with math. Math. Oh God. And economics too blehhh. Seriously can't I get a literature essay for homework instead...

Happy reading!


	2. Chapter 2

**AN:** Hey guys, I'm truly sorry if the story comes across as awkward or unrealistic, because I've never ventured into the romance genre before, like ever. Even now it feels slightly awkward writing this... Anyway, I understand that Sasuke may come across as OOC but that's because this is AU, and his family is still alive.

Thank you to those who reviewed, you guys are so sweet! :-)

* * *

 **Part II.**

It has been a long time since Hinata felt this awkward. Here she was sitting at the lunch table with Naruto, Sakura, Kiba and most of all, Sasuke. He had planted himself on the opposite end of the table, lazily watching the loud-mouths bantering over pairings for the latest chemistry assignment. His eyes slid over to Hinata for a brief moment, but she was hellbent on avoiding his gaze, staring at her half-eaten bento blankly.

 _Whatever._

Hinata knew that Sasuke was looking at her but she could not bear to meet his eyes. There were so many questions whirling in her head about yesterday's encounter and Sasuke's unspoken revelation of his feelings. This morning as she looked at herself in the mirror, she made sure to chant "I am not scared" ten times before heading out. Before stepping past the threshold into her homeroom, she took a deep breath, reassuring herself that Sasuke would not eat her up for wanting some answers.

However, the moment she stepped in and their eyes locked, she contemplated abandoning her whole confrontation plan. As usual, his gaze was extremely intense to the point she could feel it even when her back was to him. She thought that a few boring lessons into the day would ease her anxieties, but they came back full force during lunch, much to her dismay.

She was still deep in thought when she felt an arm wrap itself around her shoulders. The girl squeaked and glanced at Kiba shyly, who simply looked at her and grin cheekily. "Hinata's my partner, ain't that awesome?"

"Naruto you could always partner Sasuke-kun," Sakura said for the upteenth time, letting out an exasperating sigh on purpose.

"NO WAY! Teme's just gonna drag me down with him!"

"Shut up dobe, if anything you will drag me down," Sasuke interrupted, eyes narrowing at the blonde idiot next to him. Sakura let out a hearty laugh, nodding fervently in agreement, to which Naruto scowled.

"I'm leaving." Even as he stood up, Hinata could see lightning sparks between the rivals as they made eye contact. A moment later, Naruto snapped his bright cerulean eyes to her.

"Ne, Hinata! You'll leave Kiba for me, right?"

An uncomfortable silence passed, but it was soon broken as Sakura landed a firm punch on Naruto's hard skull. He yelped in pain and clutched his head, whining about brutal females. Meanwhile Hinata shifted in her seat awkwardly, and Kiba slowly lowered his arm that was previously draped across her shoulders.

"Don't insinuate things like that, baka!" Sakura roared in a rather unladylike way. Naruto ducked to avoid a second hit from across the table.

"G-Gomen, Naruto-kun," Hinata stuttered. The group turned to look at her expectantly. "I...promised Kiba-kun first." Sakura raised a brow and let a smile crawl onto her face, inwardly knowing how hard it was to turn away the tempting prospect of partnering a crush. Hinata was truly a sweet girl, not that she had ever suspected otherwise.

Naruto, on the other hand, blinked dumbly at her for seconds. When he finally registered her words, he shrugged and shot her a blinding smile, brushing off her rejection casually. Hinata instinctively looked away and cupped her burning cheeks. Kiba ruffled her hair and smirked at Naruto.

"There's always Shino," he pointed out flatly.

"OH MAN! I'd rather ask Lee first!" Naruto yelled in response and stood up hastily. He gave a brief salute and bolted towards the field where he knew the hyper athlete would be running laps.

The remaining trio promptly stood up and walked back to class, Kiba and Sakura making small talk whilst Hinata poked her fingers together shyly as she listened half-heartedly. As a matter of fact, her mind was elsewhere, centering around an obsidian-haired classmate. She eventually decided to speak to him after school, since finals were imminent and she could not afford any distractions. She needed closure after all.

When she entered class, she noticed that Sasuke's eyes immediately darted to hers. She managed a small, genuine smile but felt a pang of hurt when he ignored her and shifted his attention elsewhere. Hinata could only feel grateful that Sakura and Kiba did not notice this exchange.

* * *

After class, Hinata mustered a great deal of courage and made her way to Sasuke's seat. He raised his head to look at her indifferently. Upon feeling two coal orbs staring her down, she shuddered involuntarily and wrung her fingers together.

"Sasuke-kun...ano...c-could we talk?" she whispered. If not for his sensitive ears, he would not have picked it up. Nevertheless, he acquiesced. The pair then made their way to the rooftop in a strained silence.

"What is it?" Sasuke asked bluntly, shoving his hands into his pockets. Hinata noted how he did not look at her and frowned slightly.

"I...I didn't... _really_ understand what you meant yesterday."

"I thought my message was clear."

"W-Well...I think I got it, but I don't...understand," she finished lamely. Sasuke caught a glimpse of her biting her lip from the corner of his eye. The girl was more than nervous to be discussing such a topic with him.

"Hinata," he began, turning around slowly to face her. "You love Naruto, don't you?" Hinata unconsciously took a step back and poked her fingers together. Her cheeks were dusted with a light pink as she nodded hesitantly.

"I know."

 _Why would he ask that if he knew..._ Hinata mused.

"He's not gonna look your way," he stated dryly. Hinata flinched at his harsh words. "The dobe will never give up on Sakura, so stop thinking that he will change his mind if you stick around long enough."

Hinata balled her fists and attempted a glare which apparently came off as rather mild. He could almost say it was cute. "I-I didn't call you here to talk about Naruto-kun." He merely stared at her in response, and it was clear that he was waiting for her to get to the point.

"I think...Sasuke-kun I think you need to be honest with me," she gulped. Her gaze slid down to his shoulders, unable to handle looking straight into his onyx eyes.

"Ano...do you l-like me?"

She heard a snort and looked at his face once more, appalled by his reaction. Soon he was taking large strides to close their distance. Hinata shifted her attention to her tennis shoes when she felt his looming figure towering over her, his body inches away from hers. She absently noted that the soles of their feet were now touching.

She was about to take a step back to increase their distance when a hand reached out to touch her hair. Her feet were frozen to the ground as she observed his stoic face whilst letting him continue with his light caresses. Her brows furrowed slightly when she could not detect any trace of emotion from his features, but his eyes reflected his pensive mood. He then let an uncharacteristic smile grace his lips.

"Hinata, I'm... _not_ sorry."

In a flash, his fingers tangled themselves within her indigo strands and he crashed his lips to hers in a fierce, dominating kiss. She gasped at the sudden action and out of reflex, her hands tried to push him away but he would not budge. Sasuke took this as an invitation and slipped his tongue into her mouth, eagerly exploring the moist cavern and stroking her tongue with his own.

It was a peculiar feeling, but Hinata did not fully welcome it. However, his lips slowed down their movement though his tongue remained where it was. It felt like he was claiming some form of territory, but seeing how Sasuke's eyes were closed, she felt her own slide shut just for a moment to savour his touch.

He wrapped his other arm around her waist possessively, his tongue gently caressing her own now as if apologising for the rude intrusion. Her lips quivered at the strange sensation that sent tingles down her spine. She had no idea how long they stood making out, but she was glad that no one had entered the grounds and caught them in the act. They would certainly make an unlikely couple. Her eyes then flew open at this thought and she shoved him away.

Sasuke stumbled back but held her gaze. She identified lust and a foreign emotion in those eyes of his, and she quickly averted her own eyes. His thumb reached out to wipe away a trace of their saliva at the corner of her lips, and she flinched.

 _But I love Naruto-kun...I can't do this!_ she screamed silently.

Before Sasuke could retract his hand, Hinata pushed him away and made a dash for the exit, pearly eyes watering with tears. He merely stared after her, dumbfounded, but a part of him had seen this coming. Yet, given a choice he would've done it again.

Hinata stumbled into the nearest toilet and gripped the sink tightly with trembling hands. Her breathing was unstable and she shut her eyes, forcing herself to calm down before she hyperventilated. This only made it worse as she revived the moment with more vividness. Her mind was currently whirling with thoughts on both Naruto and Sasuke.

She knew that Naruto was the person she loved, but she could not deny the strange feelings stirring up in her gut when Sasuke kissed her.

 _"Hinata, I'm not sorry."_

She splashed her face with some water, facing herself in the mirror as the water droplets mingled with her tears and cascaded down her face. What on earth could anyone see in her? What could _Uchiha Sasuke_ see in her? Her skin was a milky white, which seemed to make her stick out like a sore thumb next to girls like Ino and Sakura. In fact, her pale skin only served to highlight her dark eye circles whenever she stayed up late to study.

Then there was the issue with her eyes. Once upon a time people used to tell her that her stare was disconcerting because her eyes were white and pupil-less. Though she seldom heard such remarks in high school, her insecurity never fully diminished.

This brought her back to her initial train of thoughts. _Did Sasuke really like her?_ As far as she knew, he was the most popular boy on campus that majority of the female population never ceased to fawn over. She wouldn't be surprised to know that he had had the chance to kiss many other girls before her. She looked down at her hands sadly, knowing that there was no way she was special enough for someone like him to pick her out from a crowd. This only served to make her feel used by him, triggering another outburst of tears.

Then again, he had been sending her mixed signals since yesterday. It _was_ possible that Konoha's heartthrob had taken a liking to her, seeing as he could be gentle around her – more so than any of the females she had seen him with. However, such notions were lost to logical reasoning. She was being absurd in thinking that Sasuke, the quiet boy who never showed any signs of romantic interest in her until yesterday, carried a torch for her. None of it came close to making sense.

 _Besides, Sasuke-kun is blunt with his words...if he truly felt that way he would've said it, wouldn't he?_

Some part of her mind chided her for not inferring from his actions. The other part argued that it was mere physical attraction, and the kiss was simply done in the heat of the moment. Neither thought made her feel any better, so she decided to swallow her worries and focus on acing the upcoming exam. She could not afford to let her father down.

Sasuke could wait.

* * *

Meanwhile...

"TEME!" Naruto exclaimed. The class was empty by then, save for the loud blonde. He glanced at the clock nonchalantly. It had been approximately forty minutes since class was dismissed, and twenty since _she_ left him on the rooftop. He spent the remaining time loitering around aimlessly, trying to extricate her from his thoughts but to no avail.

"SASUKE-TEME! I was waiting here for so long! Where did you go?!"

Sasuke looked at the enthusiastic blond apathetically. "Just walking around."

"WHAT?! Ne, you alright? You don't normally waste time walking for forty minutes." Naruto's brows furrowed in confusion. He caught a flash of contempt in his friend's eyes for a second but when he blinked it was gone.

Naruto was dense, but he was adept at recognising his best friend's emotions. Contrary to popular belief, he could be fairly perceptive when he mellowed down. Was Sasuke pissed with him? But he couldn't recall doing anything wrong. Naruto was utterly perplexed at this.

"Dobe let's just get out of here," Sasuke muttered, slinging his bag carelessly across his shoulder and headed for the door.

"Wait, Sasuke!" Naruto called out and scurried towards him. Sasuke leaned back in shock when he brought his face close and narrowed his eyes, scrutinising him like a hawk. This action brought back terrible memories of their first kiss in elementary school. He was about to shove his blond head away in disgust when a finger pointed to his lips.

"Teme, is that lip gloss?"

Sasuke flinched at that remark and sent him flying several metres. Naruto coughed and rubbed his derrière none-too-subtly while Sasuke hastily wiped his lips with the back of his hand.

"Geez, I was just saying...what the hell teme, don't get your panties into such a twist." Naruto picked up his fallen haversack and trudged to the doorway, eyeing his best friend suspiciously. Sasuke merely raised a brow.

"I swear I saw some light pink substance just now..." Naruto mumbled.

"You need an eye check," Sasuke shrugged. Naruto simply brushed it off and began rattling about Ichiraku's new ramen flavour while Sasuke paid no attention. Everything seemed normal but Naruto swore that something was wrong with the teme, and he was determined to find out what.

* * *

 **AN:** Thanks again for reading:-) Do leave a review to voice your thoughts on the story so far, and perhaps give some suggestions too? I'll take all constructive feedback into consideration. See you again soon!


	3. Chapter 3

**Part III**

 _"Sasuke-teme, meet Hinata! She's quiet and a lil' weird but she's hella cool y'know!" Naruto put an arm around Hinata and beamed at her, not realising the effect that he had on the painfully shy girl. Sasuke, on the other hand, noticed the signs of a non-fangirl immediately._ _For starters, her shoes appeared more interesting than his face._ _Secondly, he caught the subtle glances she would shoot Naruto and the tinge of pink dusting her cheeks. He smirked. Having a_ _normal_ _female friend sounded nice, though the surname Hyuuga was rather unappealing to him._

 _Their families had a rather tense relationship for reasons he was not aware of, but it was rather strange that the usual repulse he felt for Hyuugas did not apply to the girl in front of him. Naruto proceeded to praise his secret (or maybe not so) admirer to the skies, whilst Sasuke found himself paying attention as he eyed her with mild curiosity._

 _"You know what's the BEST thing about her?!" Naruto almost yelled before leaning in to Sasuke's ear and lowering his voice, "she lets me copy her homework!"_

 _Sasuke frowned and shifted his attention back to the blunette who met his gaze shyly. Her rosy pink lips curled up to form a small, sincere smile that could melt the hearts of many bachelors – except Sasuke of course. He would acknowledge that she was cute and quiet, but he had yet to find out about the_ _weird_ _part that Naruto mentioned. Other than her pearly eyes, he could see nothing special about her. The good thing was that this girl had a distinct crush on the dobe, which meant that he could most probably have decent conversations with her – ones that did not end with the suggestion of a date of sorts._

 _Suddenly, Naruto let out a muffled groan as he hunched over, one hand resting on his knee while the other clutched his stomach. Sasuke stared at Naruto apathetically, assuming that he was up to no good again._

 _"Oh crap...my stomach...where's the nearest toilet?" he groaned weakly._

 _Sasuke felt his eye twitch. "Did you not check the expiry date of your milk again?" Hinata's mouth dropped at that statement and brought her hands to her chest, unsure of what to do._

 _"I DID! I SWEAR I DID! It did expire but I thought if I cooked it with ramen this wouldn't happen..."_

 _"You're disgusting."_

 _"Naruto-kun the toilet's over there, s-straight ahead and turn left." Before Hinata could grasp his elbow to assist him, the blonde was already sprinting past the corridor, leaving his two friends behind and an awkward atmosphere between them._

 _"Ano..."_

 _"What do you even see in him?" Sasuke could not help but ask the million-dollar question. He took some delight in watching her eyes widen like a deer caught in headlights, and how a mere question can reduce her to a bumbling mess of nerves. This girl was indeed peculiar, but maybe not in a bad way as he had hitherto assumed._

 _Hinata panicked for a moment started fiddling with her sweater. "Naruto-kun is...ano...he-"_

 _"Hinata-sama, we have to go home for training today." A low voice cut through her thoughts as she spun around to face her cousin. Sasuke and Neji had unknowingly entered a staring contest the moment their eyes locked, neither choosing to break their gaze until Hinata waved a hand in front of her cousin's eyes._

 _"Neji-niisan I'm ready," Hinata spoke softly. Neji nodded tersely and brought a hand to the base of her spine, pushing her gently as he urged her forward. She complied and gave a slight bow to Sasuke before leaving, much to Neji's disdain. The two boys continued their staring contest, black against white. Sasuke wondered how on earth kind-hearted, innocent Hyuuga Hinata could be the cousin of this anal prick currently trying to stare him down with those unnerving eyes of his._

 _"Uchiha, don't try anything," Neji began with a warning tone._

 _"I've no intention to," Sasuke remarked bluntly._

 _Neji lifted two fingers to his eyes. "These eyes, they see everything." With that, he was off on his merry way to catch up with his cousin._

 _Sasuke inwardly wondered what kind of training the Hyuugas received. There were rumours that Hyuuga Neji, student council president, was a brilliant fighter who managed to oust the speedy Rock Lee in a sparring match. Sasuke had been taking karate lessons since he was old enough to run, aspiring to become like his elder brother who was formerly known as Konoha's prince when it came to fighting. His movements were fluid and rapid with zero faults in his accuracy, though Sasuke would never admit that he was jealous of his brother's talent. Besides, he knew that he was a commendable fighter as well, just that he could gain more experience before officially challenging Itachi and standing a chance to win._

 _Could it be that Hyuuga Hinata was capable of holding her ground in a spar? Their brief dialogue did insinuate that after all._

 _At least he could come to one conclusion: Hinata and himself could be friends, and he would make the effort just to spite that arrogant cousin of hers, if not to know her better as a person._

* * *

"Hinata-sama."

Said girl turned around to look at her cousin as he made his way towards her and sat down on a spacious outdoor seat at the balcony. She had been watching the stars absently before he arrived, trying to identify the constellations that Naruto had once pointed out to her. Many people would think that he was stupid, but Hinata had come to realise that he was knowledgeable in different aspects, one of them being astrology.

 _"They're kinda easy to overlook, but they're always there y'know."_

 _"Hai, I think so too."_

 _"I never got a chance to see my parents...but ero-sennin told me that people who die will turn into stars, then they will watch us from above. I watch the stars every night since I guess it's the only way I can communicate with Dad and Mom, even if I don't say things out loud."_

 _Hinata thought about her deceased mother and turned her attention back to the stars hanging on the velvet night sky, appearing uncannily like sparkling jewels on a sheet of black. "Ero-sennin..?" she questioned softly._

 _"Yeah, he was a good man."_

 _"Was?" She blinked. "O-Oh...I'm very sorry..."_

 _"It's alright." Naruto shot her a kind smile, one completely unlike his usual cheesy grins. His blue eyes reflected sadness and vulnerability that perhaps no one had ever stopped to notice._

"Hinata-sama, are you listening to me?"

Hinata snapped out of her reverie and smiled weakly. Neji ran a hand through his long hazel tresses and sighed. "Couldn't sleep?"

"Hai."

"Why is that?"

"I...I don't know..."

A rather awkward silence passed between the two. A gentle wind blew past, caressing their cheeks softly. Hinata closed her eyes and wrung her fingers together, as if she was praying. Who was she praying for? Neji's frowned at this, even though the gesture was not uncharacteristic of his gentle cousin.

Moments later, her head nodded slightly, signalling that she had entered a light sleep. Neji lifted himself from his seat and took small, silent steps towards the sleeping beauty and scooped her up gently. Her head lolled to the side, pressing against his sleeves as he carried her to her bedroom. When he lay her on the bed and pulled up the covers to her chin, Neji realised how truly innocent his cousin was.

In retrospect, it was difficult finding a good reason to justify his hatred towards Hinata in the past. At the tender age of 4, his father had passed away from a car accident. Why? Because he was escorting his precious niece, who stupidly ran across the road to chase a balloon that she had accidentally let go of. If it wasn't for her asinine act, his father wouldn't have gotten run over by that car. If he didn't dote on her so much, he wouldn't have jumped in to save her. What infuriated him most was that even on his death bed, his father still told his young son to protect her. Where was the logic in that? Why should he protect the person who got his father killed?

From that day on, Neji absolutely despised the girl. He did not tolerate her presence, and whenever his authoritative uncle commanded him to spar with his weak excuse of a daughter, he would comply before beating her to a pulp. How he hated the very sight of her, from her hime-cut hairstyle to her pale, trembling limbs, especially her large round eyes. Their eye contact never lasted more than a second, and each time he would catch a glimpse of fear in those white orbs, to which he derived a sick pleasure from by knowing how much she feared him, how much she _ought to_ fear him.

Whenever Hiashi walked in on the duo and spotted Neji abusing his daughter mercilessly, he would then proceed to drag him back by the hair and send him to bed without dinner. He felt caged, as if his life was controlled by his uncle, even his own father's parting words were binding, sealing his fate as the Hyuuga heiress' protector. No words could describe how much he loathed this family.

Yet here he was, tucking this princess into bed. If it wasn't for that Uzumaki brat who punched him, he wouldn't be sitting here admiring his cousin's tranquil form. Her breaths were slow and steady, her throat so very slim and enticing. Anyone could simply wind their fingers around that thin neck and crush it. He could do it now, since she was foolish enough to lower her defenses around the person who had aimed to kill her for years. Foolish people ought not to live.

 _"Hell, I know what it's like to be alone. I may not be that smart, but at least I can tell that Hinata didn't deserve anything you did to her! Stop fuelling your hatred with your own delusions and start showing some respect!"_

 _"Do not interfere with our private matters, you insolent brat," Neji wiped his mouth where Naruto had just landed a hard punch on. The metallic taste of blood lingered and he spat. He would've attacked the offender back, but he had his own dignity. Hyuuga Neji was rational and he prided himself on it. He would not succumb to his raw desire to beat the living daylights out of some lowlife, especially when the reason was Hinata._

 _"Tabloids only reveal your economic success, but not what really goes on within that house of yours. Just look at how you treat Hinata! When I become prime minister, I swear I will change the Hyuuga!"_

 _"You're a fool if you think that will ever happen."_

 _"At least I have a dream, unlike you."_

Neji shook his head at the flashback, cursing the guilt welling up in the pit of his stomach. He used to wonder why everyone treated this girl like some precious gem, but now he could safely say he knew the answer. Over the years, Hinata managed to crawl into the confines of his steel heart and melt the staunch walls that he had built up. He had no idea how this weakling did it, but she did anyway and it was then he realised that she was strong. Not physically, but spiritually, possibly more so than him and for that he found himself admiring her for her generosity.

He knew he wouldn't have forgiven himself for everything that he had done, for the many bruises that he had given her and the many times he insulted her, but being shy and kind lil' Hinata, she forgave him anyway, acting as if everything was okay, as if they had never been estranged.

There was too much love in this tiny being, and he was afraid that one day someone would take this love from her and crush her completely. That was probably the time when Neji swore to look out for his cousin and protect her from the dangers of this world, just like his father had.

* * *

Hinata felt absolutely out of place next to Sakura and Ino. Firstly, they wore bright, flashy clothes – the pinkette donning a yellow sleeveless blouse that complemented her hair and a short denim miniskirt, while the blonde sported a purple top that exposed her toned midriff and a tight-fitting black leather miniskirt. Hinata looked down at her white blouse laced at the collar and blue skinny jeans, her insecurities getting the better of her.

Secondly, they were at a large arena packed with hoards of other people (especially girls) to watch a _karate_ match, which was not the typical thing she would do on a Friday night.

Lastly, she felt like the only girl who was not cheering Uchiha Sasuke on. Practically every female surrounding her, Sakura and Ino included, were screaming his name and she wished she could crawl into a hole since she clearly did not belong.

Her eyes followed each movement in the arena carefully, analysing the two fighters' styles. Her heart was palpitating since it was her cousin that Sasuke was up against. As far as she knew, Neji was a prodigy in this field. There was nothing his keen eyes missed, and he was especially adept at exploiting his opponents' weaknesses to his own advantage. However, if there was one thing that would bring about his downfall, it would be his arrogance. Neji was undoubtedly skilled, but with a superiority complex to match. She had never seen Sasuke in action before, but from what she could observe he was a putting up a fierce fight – with her genius of a cousin no less. He was definitely more than competent.

A small part of her brain wandered back to a few days ago when he had kissed her – and so deeply at that. Heat radiated off her cheeks and she tried to fan herself discreetly to stop the traitorous blush. He was quite the enigma to her. She would never understand what exactly went on inside that head of his. She had gathered so much courage and willpower to ask a straightforward question, only to get even more questions in return. Who was she to Uchiha Sasuke? And who was Uchiha Sasuke to her?

There was one thing for sure – he had wounded her with his words. She had loved Naruto for the longest time, who was he to chide her and tell her to let him go? All her life she had been looked down upon, receiving criticisms and judgements were but a part of her daily routine. Did Sasuke perhaps want to protect her from the pain of rejection? Everyone always thought of her as a child who needed protection, so she supposed Sasuke was simply one of those people. Getting told what to do was something that she was used to, but getting told what to _feel_ was just crossing the line.

Hinata was shaken out of her musings – literally – when the match came to an end. "Damn, Hinata did you see that?! Sasuke-kun was so close to beating Neji!" Ino was clutching onto her right forearm in a vice-like grip, earning a slight wince from her.

"I-Ino-san, did Sasuke-kun lose?"

"Nope, it was a draw, weren't you watching? Look they're both still standing but time's already up. He was so close, though!" Ino slapped her thighs and sighed dramatically. A moment later she whipped around to apologise. "Ah sorry, I forgot you were supporting Neji."

Hinata waved her hands frantically and laughed, "No I'm not really..."

Sakura and Ino both raised a brow at this, before their faces turned demonic. "Are you Sasuke-kun's fangirl now too?" Hinata blanched.

"O-O-Of course not! I-I would never..." she stuttered helplessly.

"How could I doubt your loyalty to Naruto-baka," Sakura simpered, "you're really so cute Hinata!" Hinata's face turned ten shades of red and she lowered her head in embarrassment, hating the sudden attention that both her loud friends were giving her. In a desperate attempt to leave, she excused herself to look for Neji.

She regretted leaving on her own since the campus was huge, and she was unfamiliar with this side of the school. After a good ten minutes hunting, she finally found the room she was looking for. She fished out a small bottle of healing salve from her handbag and knocked on the door. Surely Neji wouldn't mind her visiting him at his resting room? There was no response from inside, which was rather odd. Nevertheless, she took a deep breath and plastered a wide smile on her face as she pushed the door open.

"Excuse m-"

Hinata's jaw dropped when she came face to face with the one person she did not want to see. She reached for the door knob and pulled the door back, taking a second glance at the label on the door. There was nothing stating that the room belonged to Neji, in fact it was a shared room by participants. She slowly tilted her head to meet Sasuke's impassive face and gulped. Before she could apologise for the intrusion, he cut her off.

" _Neji-niisan_ isn't here."

Her mouth fell open once again. Did he just mock her high-pitched way of addressing her cousin?

Her brows furrowed and she pursed her lips indignantly which apparently looked more like a childish pout. Hyuuga Hinata had a fear factor of negative 100. It was more than amusing to see her attempt to look intimidating. However, she decided that she was not ready to face him after the previous embarrassing incident. Since Neji was not in the room, she might as well look for him elsewhere to pass him the salve.

"Stay," he commanded, just when she turned her back to leave. "Stay with me."

"R-Right now?"

There was a short pause. "Yes, right now."

How could she refuse? Hinata was not one to refuse anyone simply because she was too kind. Maybe she was a pushover, but if she didn't mind then it probably didn't count.

"Lock the door as well."

Her eyes bulged from their sockets. "W-What?" _I'm leaving now!_ she screamed internally.

"Do I look like I'm gonna eat you?" She nodded and he rolled his eyes. "I don't want fangirls to intrude, since there's no place for me to run."

 _And I don't want to share the room with your stupid cousin._

"I-It's fine, t-they won't come," Hinata protested and gave him a pleading smile for good measure. Sasuke remained unaffected and stood up, strutting confidently towards her. She squeaked and jumped back, only to hit the door. His shirtless form loomed over her like the last time and she shut her eyes tightly, anticipating whatever was to come. There was a pregnant pause where nothing happened. The next thing she heard was the sound of a lock clicking into place and she opened her eyes. Sasuke simply locked the door himself and retreated to the bench quietly.

 _You thought he was going to touch you again and you just stood there?_

 _Oh snap!_ Hinata cringed at that, trying in vain to forget that ever crossed her mind. Meanwhile Sasuke was enjoying the multitude of frazzled expressions flitting across her face. Was she expecting something? He couldn't help but grin at the effect he had on her.

However, one thing that irked him was the way she was currently treating him. They used to be good friends, but now she almost seemed afraid to approach him. He also noted that Hinata did not give his half-exposed body a second look, frowning at her lack of attention. He was not an attention-seeker, but he was used to females fawning over his dashing physical traits yet this stubborn girl refused to give him the time of the day. That was probably one of the reasons why he took a liking to her.

She was unattainable, and Uchiha Sasuke liked a challenge. He worked out a great deal and was proud of his toned body, yet here was pure, angelic Hinata, trying hard to avoid looking at a shirtless male sitting right in front of her. He almost felt insulted.

"What's wrong?"

"N-Nothing..."

Hinata headed towards the nearest seat and sat right across Sasuke, keeping her eyes glued to the ground as she did so. Sasuke scowled at her feeble attempt to avoid eye contact with him.

"Why won't you look at me?" _Why_ _won't_ _you look at me?_

"S-Sorry," Hinata mumbled. This time she did look up to flash him a weak smile. It was at this moment when she spotted several painful-looking bruises on the Uchiha's body. She covered her mouth as she gasped at the evidence of Neji's blows, they reminded her of her own in the past. It appeared as if Neji was aiming to kill. Sasuke merely stared at her apathetically. "Do they hurt?"

 _Kind of._ "No."

Another awkward silence passed. Hinata finally gathered her wits and stood up, walking towards Sasuke with the healing salve in her dainty hands. She bowed slightly and offered the container to him, explaining to him that it was a medicinal concoction of hers that had healing properties. She was willing to give it to him since Neji wasn't here. He seemed to need it anyway.

"I always apply this for Neji-niisan after his matches," she smiled fondly as she spoke, "it speeds up the healing process."

She was not expecting a word of thanks from the silent teenager in front of her, but at the very least she thought he would accept the gift. Just when she was about to retract her hands in embarrassment at the rejection, a large hand gripped her wrist gently. She stared at him in shock, her eyes shining radiantly at this small gesture.

"Do it for me too," he said flatly.

"Huh?"

"You said you apply it for Neji, so you should extend your services to me too."

Her smile cracked, though she tried very hard to keep the edges up.

"S-Sasuke-kun that's not very...uh...I don't think...I...um o-okay." She could not say no to that heated glare he was shooting her. Uchiha Sasuke did not like rejection, and he would always ensure that things went the way he wanted. Of course he knew that timid Hinata could not refuse him if he demanded something, except that he would prefer if she would initiate some things instead of having him take the first step all the time. It made him feel like a desperate ass.

 _Technically you are._

 _Shut up._

Hinata swallowed her fears and took a brave step towards him, approaching him warily as if he was a sleeping lion. She was counting on him not to pounce on her like he had done a few days ago, otherwise she really had no idea what to do. He grabbed his towel from the table and wiped his torso clear of perspiration before draping it around his neck. He merely looked at a certain spot on the ground, paying her no attention. Perhaps it was better for both of them that way. A few seconds later, he felt a burning sensation on his left shoulder the moment Hinata rubbed the medicine in and could not hold in a low groan. Hinata swiftly jumped away as if she was the one who got burnt and peered at him in concern.

"S-Sorry, does it hurt?"

"No, just carry on," he muttered through clenched teeth. It was not very convincing but she did as she was told. After several moments, Sasuke got used to the stinging sensation by focusing on the feel of her fingers gently massaging the cream onto his wounds. Her touch was featherlike, similar to his mother's, whom he had not seen for almost a year now. This scenario brought back a series of nostalgic moments when his mother would nurse his bruises after karate classes. He actually liked the feel of Hinata's fingers on him, and was very tempted to take advantage of her innocence. She had _no_ idea how she made him feel.

When she was done with his back, she stood in front of him and shoved the container into his hands, much to his surprise. Her face was burning red and she averted her eyes, poking her fingers together nervously like she was in elementary school again.

"Y-You can do the front yourself."

Before he could respond, Hinata bowed politely and grabbed her handbag from the stool to make a quick exit. He did not stop her, simply because he felt that he had already put the shy girl in a spot by requesting something that could be deemed as either intimate or erotic. He tried to convince himself that it was more of the former.

Suddenly he did not feel so bitter about not winning the match. Hinata herself seemed to be the remedy to bitterness, simply because she was just that sweet.

Minutes later, Neji entered the room, eyeing the Uchiha suspiciously.

"What?" Sasuke snapped.

"Did Hinata-sama drop by?"

"No."

Black against white. Neji the human lie-detector was processing every microexpression of the stoic man in front of him, trying to find traces of deceit but could only see a strange gleam in his eyes which he could not even begin to comprehend. The Uchiha was acting weird. What he did not notice was Sasuke nonchalantly stuffing the brown container into his pocket as he packed his bag to leave.

"Hyuuga," Sasuke started abruptly, "does Hinata know karate?"

"You do not need to know such trivial things, Uchiha," Neji stated firmly. Sasuke shrugged and opened the door, but paused as his opponent spoke again. "Good fight."

He smirked, knowing that no one else had come this close to defeating the school's ace. It was a blow to the prick's ego, but at least he was being a sportsman about it. "Yeah," he replied half-heartedly, waving a hand before he left.

Through sparring, the two seemed to have developed a deeper understanding for the other. Respect was not necessarily part of the package, but a certain bond had inevitably been created through a shared passion. Besides, if Sasuke wanted to win Hinata over then he had to start off by removing himself from the blacklist of her closest kin.

Sasuke was no idiot, but he was foolish in thinking that alone could change Hinata's feelings for Naruto. It would hurt her if he forcefully uprooted that deep love, and it would most probably have adverse effects on her relationship with him.

Naruto had always been alone, so it felt only fair to have one girl stand by him as his pillar of support. Sasuke had to acknowledge that this was something the dobe deserved more than he did. The problem was that the idiot never gave Hinata a second glance, making her fade into the background as he assumed Sakura to be the anchor in his life. Did he still deserve Hinata then? Sasuke would rather leave that question open since he had no right to give an answer. One thing he did know, though, was that Hinata would always be faithful to the one she loved, even if she ended up getting hurt.

He couldn't pinpoint why, but everything just felt so wrong. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the container of healing salve that Hinata had given him. A small smile graced his lips at her modesty. He found it rather endearing. Yes, there were so many things wrong about a romance between them, not just as the shy wallflower and the famous bad boy, but as a Hyuuga and an Uchiha. Yet, as Sasuke lightly fingered the object in his hands, he thought that it was only fair he allowed himself to indulge in his fantasies just this time.

* * *

 **AN:** Hey guys I kinda wrote this in one sitting haha well I hope y'all liked it anyways, with Sasuke's double meanings as well as some other elements in this story. Is it wrong that I like the characters here more than in canon? XD Oops that's probably a sign of OOC-ness. Kindly leave a review if you feel there's something I can improve on and I'll work on it, plotwise or anything else. Thanks again! :-)


	4. Chapter 4

**AN:** Thank you guest reviewer, that comment about haters means a lot to me. I find it quite funny that you got my username wrong though HAHA!

Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy the next chapter, 'cuz to put it crudely, shit's about to hit the fan. 0:-)

* * *

 **Part IV**

It was no secret that Inuzuka Kiba was on close terms with the Hyuuga heiress. They had been friends since elementary school, and their bonds had only grown stronger over the years. Since they spent the majority of their time in each other's company, it was no surprise that rumours flew. This, however, was not enough to dent their friendship and the scandal eventually died down. No one was surprised to see the two together again under the sakura tree, but this time it was different.

"Oi, Hinata! Something's bothering you right?"

Hinata looked at him with a small piece of cinnamon bread between her lips. She quickly chewed it and replied steadily, "No, not really Kiba-kun."

"I can smell it." Kiba's nose twitched instinctively as if to prove a point. Hinata found it rather odd, even if she knew him to have an extraordinarily keen sense of smell. Such a thing was not possible, was it?

"I-It's nothing important," she mumbled.

"Tch, I can't force it out of you, can I?" Kiba laid back on the grass, resting both arms behind his head and crossing his legs. Hinata always felt slightly awkward whenever he did this and looked at her from the corner of his eyes, but over time she realised that he only acted this way because he was comfortable around her. Hinata was curious to find out if the grass was warm or cool if she lay down on it as well, but her upbringing tossed that notion out of the window. The Hyuuga heiress had to be prim and proper in every aspect, even in her manner of sitting. Kiba thought that she would not be able to see his face properly from that angle, but she noticed him glancing at her occasionally, as if trying to draw the truth out of her in a subtle way. _There is no harm in telling him, right?_

"Ne, Kiba-kun, what do you think of Sasuke-kun?"

Kiba's brows shot up, completely taken aback by the question. "What are you talking about? You aren't one of _them_ now, are you?" He promptly sat up and locked eyes with her. Hinata started fidgeting uncomfortably under the intense stare.

"He has been acting...weird towards me," she replied hesitantly, but the statement came out as more like a question. Kiba was not amused, waiting for her to elaborate before he confronted the Uchiha. "He used to be kind, but now...ano...he doesn't talk to me."

Kiba chuckled and lay back down onto the ground casually, propping up one leg as he did so. "Tch, and I thought it was gonna be something big. Sasuke's quite bipolar, I'm surprised you just noticed." Hinata felt her shoulders slump when she knew the conversation had ended. There was no way she would tell Kiba about her stolen first kiss, so she could not push the subject further. When the bell rang, the duo simply packed up and ambled to class.

The moment they rounded the corner, Hinata did not expect to bump into someone. She lifted her head to apologise but her words died in her throat. Who was this...punk? He was taller than her by only two inches or so, which was strange since she was used to being towered over by boys her age. His hair was blood red, and he had three piercings in his right ear and two on his left, the rods being black and studs a shiny silver. He seemed to wear eyeliner, and Hinata found herself being hypnotised by those turquoise irises.

Kiba frowned when he noticed the eccentric kid trying to stare his best friend down. "She's sorry, so drop it punk," he asserted, pulling Hinata behind his back protectively and dragging her to class, not bothering to give him a second glance. Hinata tilted her head back to look at him again, and found that his eyes were still glued onto her. His stare was unnerving, and there was a strange gleam in his eyes that sent a chill down her spine. She gulped and quickly turned back to walk next to Kiba, willing herself not to look back even though she could feel his piercing gaze on her retreating form. They were silent the rest of the way.

When they reached class, it was no surprise that literature teacher Hatake Kakashi had not made an appearance. There were even times when the man would not turn up at all, and he would return to class the next day to apologise for getting lost on the road of life. Then again, he always won the argument so the students had to suck up the bullshit of an excuse and get on with the lesson while he was still present.

Not long after, surprisingly, Kakashi made an appearance and coughed, earning the attention of the students. Everyone scurried back to their seats and Kakashi beckoned the new student in. Gasps were heard the moment the redhead stepped in, but the boy remained painfully impassive. There was no trace of stiffness on his features as he eyed every individual carefully, counting the number of students that seemed frightened of him. It was a normality now, since he assumed that his appearance and personality were both equally repulsive to society.

"Sabaku no Gaara," he stated monotonously. His gaze shifted to Hinata and she gulped, averting eye contact. Kakashi patted Gaara on the shoulder good-heartedly and chuckled.

"Sabaku-san will be your new classmate for these few months, do treat him well. Now, would you tell us more about yourself? Let's say, your likes, dislikes, and hobbies?"

Gaara shoved his hands into his pockets and there was a long pause where no one dared to speak. Finally, he opened his mouth, the deep timbre of his voice cold and unfeeling. "I do not like anything, but I know I hate many things. My hobby is...people-watching." Hinata noticed that her mouth was not the only one in class that dropped open at the last part. A sweatdrop formed on Kakashi's temple and he scratched his head awkwardly.

"Alright then, Shikamaru will be in charge of showing you around," he gestured to the lazy class president, "go sit next to him and we can begin the lesson."

Next to Shikamaru, Hinata stilled. She heard her desk partner mutter "troublesome" but she started panicking as he made his way towards her. Her brows furrowed when she realised that Gaara was not walking the other aisle to sit himself next to Shikamaru, but towards her instead while the entire class watched him warily. He stopped right in front of her and she gulped, looking up shyly into his teal-green eyes. Was he upset that she did not apologise to him just now? He did not seem like someone petty, but then again looks could be deceiving.

"Sabaku-san..."

"Move it, I'm sitting next to him," he all but growled at her. Hinata squeaked and stood up quickly, allowing him space to scoot in. This was when it dawned on her – he wanted to sit in between Shikamaru and herself! Her cheeks flushed in embarrassment as she slowly reclaimed her seat, subtly shifting to the right to create more distance from the redhead. If he noticed he certainly paid her no attention. Hinata glanced up and caught Sasuke's gaze from the side of the classroom. His eyes were narrowed as he looked between her and Gaara, before he looked away. Hinata tried to calm her racing heart by taking deep breaths, mind whirling with a mess of thoughts.

"Are you uncomfortable with me?" Gaara suddenly spoke, turning only his eyes towards her. Hinata frantically waved her hands to deny the statement, hoping that he would not misunderstand. Gaara was an intimidating presence, but she was certain that he was kind beneath the ruggard exterior. Everyone was, including her nii-san and...Sasuke. Since he chose to sit where he was, she had to make the best out of it. In the best case scenario, she could possibly forge a friendship with him.

"Do you always breathe like that?"

"N-N-No...um..." Hinata didn't know how to finish her sentence, so she started twiddling with her thumbs, a bad habit that she never managed to get rid of. Her heart was still palpitating, much to her discomfort.

"She's just shy," Shikamaru butted in and shrugged when Gaara looked at him. Hinata shot him a thankful smile which he reciprocated with a grin. He was well aware that Gaara was his girlfriend's precious younger brother, so he decided to treat him better than he normally would a newbie. Temari was probably right when she said that her younger brother was mentally unstable, but Shikamaru knew that he would not attack unless provoked. The only thing he had to do was ensure that no one awakened whatever demon was inside him, lest he succumb to his violent tendencies and get suspended. Not only that, he would have to submit a troublesome report to Tsunade to explain his incompetency in managing Gaara.

"Gomen, Sabaku-san. P-Please don't misunderstand," Hinata pleaded lightly, shooting him a small, warm smile. It was the most she could manage for now. Gaara eyed her for several seconds then proceeded to ignore her. She sighed, suddenly dreading the rest of the term.

* * *

Hinata was in the midst of packing her bag to leave when a pair of feet stopped in front of her. She flinched, recognising those shoes anywhere. "S-Sasuke-kun..." When she looked up at him, he held up her container of salve that she had passed to him the previous day. She beamed and retrieved it from him, startling herself when her fingers brushed against his. It almost felt like a spark of electricity shooting through her arm, but she could only smile nervously as he cocked an eyebrow.

"Thank you," she whispered. He simply 'hn'ed but did not move from his spot. She noticed that he kept looking past her to eye the Sabaku. It was discreet but her sharp eyes did not miss it. "Ano," she spoke and once again had his full attention, "are you feeling better?"

"Yeah. Thanks," he replied tersely. For a moment, both parties were unsure of what to say and the tension was heightening, as was the awkwardness. Sasuke then cleared his throat and shoved his hands into the pockets of his black hoodie. "Do you know karate?" he asked bluntly.

Hinata started poking her fingers together. "Um...just a little. I'm not too good." Sasuke lifted a hand and grabbed one of hers, eyeing the small callouses on her palm. He acted as if such a gesture was normal, but for Hinata her face was burning to the point it almost hurt. His thumb smoothed over the porcelain skin, gently brushing across the joints of her fingers. Hinata pulled back, shifting about uneasily. If it was awkward before then she didn't know what it was now.

Sasuke appeared indifferent, and his eyes were unreadable. Hinata could only hope that he was not offended. He averted his eyes to Gaara who was currently staring at him with an odd expression. If he had brows they would have probably been raised. The staredown lasted for ten long seconds before Sasuke broke it and left wordlessly. Gaara then brought his attention to the shy girl next to him who was fumbling with her stationary while she stuffed them into her haversack. There was something going on between those two, that much he knew, but he could not tell what. Gaara was not a busybody though, and he decided to stick to not knowing. It was of no benefit to him even if he discovered the truth anyway, so he easily shrugged off the image of the stoic boy holding his deskmate's hand. Nothing really mattered to the redhead, and this was no exception.

On the other hand, Naruto had witnessed the entire exchange and grinned. The teme did not simply touch another girl on his own accord, so the revelation that Sasuke was not gay came as quite a shock to him. He must have taken a liking to cute lil' Hinata after all, and he applauded his best friend for his choice in girls. Hinata was an angel while the teme, in Naruto's own opinion, was the devil spawn with a pretty face to make up for his ugly personality – or so he assumed. _The teme will thank me for being his wingman, dattebayo!_

* * *

 _I don't know what the hell that Sabaku kid wants with Hinata, but it doesn't spell anything good. I need to keep a close eye on him to make sure he doesn't try anything._

"HINATA! Go out with me!"

Sasuke's musings were put to a sudden halt when Naruto's shrill voice rang in his ears. It took a moment for him to comprehend the words, before he replayed it in his head and digested its meaning. He whipped his head around and gaped in utter astonishment as Naruto pleaded with Hinata to go out with him – not that he had to since she was not _Sakura_ , but the dobe was just so dense...or was he? Did he finally realise her feelings for him and decided to test the waters with her? He felt perturbed by that, even though he promised himself that he would leave her alone after stealing a kiss from her. It was supposed to be a quick one, but one thing led to another and he couldn't control himself. He kissed her hard, knowing that it would be the first and last time. Now he knew that he had taken things for granted, since he never expected Naruto to snap out of it. He could feel bile rising up his throat so he swallowed hard and left the classroom bitterly, not wanting to hear the dobe's stupid voice. He refused to acknowledge that this feeling was jealousy.

There was chaos coming from the classroom, and soon after Kiba dodged past him, carrying an unconscious Hinata in his arms. He watched in mild amusement, knowing that Hinata had promptly fainted, but his mood was quickly dampened when Naruto ran past him yelling Hinata's name.

"You're not touching her until the third date!" Kiba shouted.

"And YOU can?!"

"Of course I can! What kind of question is that?!"

Sasuke brought a hand to his forehead as the two bickered while running down the hallway to the infirmary. He was sure that news of their relationship would be broadcasted all over school by the next day. A part of him was sullen since Hinata had stopped spending time with him at his house to study after the previous incident. It seemed that whenever he tried to make advances, he ended up ruining his slim chances with her. It irked him that he could not take a liking to someone else, someone who already carried a torch for him. That would make things much easier but no, fate just had to screw around with him. He must've committed many sins in his past life.

"Sasuke-kun!" He looked over his shoulder upon hearing Sakura's voice. "Hey...um...do you want to go home together?" Her cheeks were a slight pink as she smiled coyly at him. He was about to reject her flatly for the hundredth time but paused. Hinata was already about to go out with Naruto, so he had to move on. No way would Uchiha Sasuke stoop so low as to pine after an attached female. Besides, Sakura had been his friend for several years, although they were not particularly close. She always made an effort, but he never failed to push her away. Maybe he could give the persistent girl a try.

"Fine," he replied and continued on his way. Sakura's smile was so radiant it could blind everyone within a five metre radius. She cheered jovially and sped towards him, but he gave no indication that he noticed her presence, since he was silent all the way.

"Where do you live?" he asked. Sakura's eyes lit up, since he was asking personal questions to know her better. It was a good sign.

"About ten minutes from here, to the right," she chirped.

"I'll walk you."

Even though he seemed apathetic about it, Sakura was overjoyed. She would have to gloat to Ino about this tomorrow, and just thinking about seeing her distorted face at this shocking disclosure made her nerves tingle with excitement. She brushed the back of her hand against Sasuke's but he remained nonchalant, keeping his eyes glued to the road. Not once did he turn to acknowledge her company, earning a slight frown for her.

 _He must be shy..._ she told herself and giggled inwardly. He was such an adorable person, she wanted to cuddle him and have him all to herself.

This time she boldly reached for his hand and intertwined their fingers. Sasuke looked at her from the corner of his eye but did not retract his hand. He was taken aback by her forwardness but soon found no reason to be surprised. Sakura was, after all, a purposeful girl – though it was ironic that she still considered chasing after him blindly though he thought he had made it clear that her feelings were not mutual. However, he decided to let her have it her way this time.

When Sakura noticed that he did not pull back, her inner self roared in triumph, congratulating herself for snagging the most handsome bachelor in Konoha. Of course, his dashing physical features were only a fraction of what Sakura admired about him. Everything about him screamed class, from the way he spoke to the way he walked. Moreover, so many girls were chasing after him yet he never dated a single one of them, so she deduced that Sasuke was not a player. She was dead sure now that he was her prince charming, and was not intending to let him go for anyone else now that she had him in the palm of her hands.

Ten minutes could not have come sooner for Sasuke as they finally reached the gates of her home. He wasted no time in extricating his fingers from her and briefly saluted as he turned. What he did not expect was for Sakura to spin him around and kiss him on the lips.

He should have seen this coming, he really should have, but he surprised the both of them by not pushing her away. In fact, Sakura was about to pull back first when he grabbed her chin and deepened the kiss. His tongue snaked its way into her mouth and explored while he closed his eyes, ignoring Sakura's lewd noises. The only thing he could see was indigo hair, red cheeks and pure, white eyes. His eyes flew open and he pushed the girl away a bit too harshly. Jade eyes stared at him in wonder as he scowled and wiped his lips before leaving without a word.

 _That felt terribly wrong._ He could feel his heart clenching and he tugged at the collar of his hoodie for some air. The repercussions of his actions kicked in full force now that he was sober. He had practically taken advantage of Sakura while trying to forget about the other girl, which, much to his dismay, failed to happen. Sakura didn't taste or smell bad per se, but it just...wasn't _her._ This was an inexplicable feeling that he tried to shove aside. Screw Sakura, he had to head home and _relieve_ himself. Let the rumours fly for all he cared, the only thing he could think about was Hinata. He would deal with everything the next day.

When Sasuke made it home, he was glad that Itachi was nowhere to be seen. He tossed his bag on the ground carelessly and grabbed one of Hinata's photos on his desk before proceeding to the bathroom.

* * *

"Hinata! You're finally awake!"

Said girl blinked to clear her vision and turned to the blonde next to her. She was lying on one of the beds in the infirmary and she blushed upon remembering how she ended up here.

"Hai, Naruto-kun."

"I asked you out because I had some things to tell ya! Eh, but it seems like you need your rest for today," he said sheepishly. Hinata shook her head vehemently.

"N-No! I-It's really okay, I would um...love to g-go out with you..." her voice mellowed down from its original high pitch and she twiddled her thumbs again. A pretty blush painted her features, and Naruto thought that it looked good on her, though he never stopped to ponder about the cause. He assumed that Hinata was just extremely shy and fainted because she was physically weak.

"Anyway since we're here, I can just ask you this one question before I go. It'll be our little secret, okay?"

Hinata blushed even more furiously and nodded, anticipating the big question. Her mind wandered to the many places that they could go as a couple, and-

"Do you like the teme?"

Her hopes came crashing down on her the moment he blurted those words. She blinked at him dumbly for a moment, trying to reset the settings in her brain to get it to work. "T-Teme..?" Her brain was still trying to process everything. What did Sasuke have to do with him asking her to be his girlfriend?

Naruto was so shocked when he heard Hinata curse that he forgot what he was about to say. "Ah...Sasuke, yes. So do you like him? Because he seems to like you y'know!" He elbowed her playfully and wiggled his eyebrows. The room suddenly felt colder and Hinata wrapped her arms around herself, rubbing her forearms tenderly as she digested his words. Apparently Naruto was more interested in Sasuke than her, for he would never have approached her if it had nothing to do with him. Could it be that... Her head lowered in defeat. Regardless of what it was, it seemed clear that Naruto would never ask her out in this lifetime.

"Eto...Sasuke-kun is nice, but I think you got the wrong idea, Naruto-kun..."

"EH?! No no no no there is NO way I am wrong about this Hinata! Trust my instincts! You trust me, don't you? Sasuke-teme secretly likes you dattebayo!"

"T-That sounds a bit far-fetched...Sasuke-kun would never..." She lifted her knees and wrapped her arms around them, sulking. She would be lying if she told Naruto that Sasuke showed absolutely no signs of romantic interest towards her. However, logically speaking it was rather absurd due to the difference in their social status. Sasuke was practically untouchable for someone like her, yet he had been making several moves. It was all so confusing and she wished she could be a child again so that she didn't have to deal with such complicated feelings.

"Hinata I wouldn't lie! I see the way he looks at you. I can't believe I didn't realise before! I really am dense!"

 _You have no idea._

"So will you go out with him?" Hinata cringed at the huge irony. Naruto continued to plead with puppy eyes, which greatly shattered her resolve. After a moment of contemplation, she lifted a finger. Naruto stared at her in confusion.

"O-One time..." Naruto gave a shout of triumph and hugged her. She stiffened in his arms but he did not seem to notice as he rubbed his cheek against hers, praising her for being so kind to the undeserving teme. If only he knew that the only reason why she acquiesced was to see him happy. It was painful to see the one she loved happy that she would date some other guy, especially when it was his best friend, but she swallowed the bitter feeling and tentatively reciprocated his embrace, pulling him closer.

"I'll text him to let him know! I can imagine he'd be ELATED!" Naruto pulled away quickly and started bouncing on the spot without any restraint. Hinata smiled sadly at his enthusiasm but did not want to burst his bubble. She would let him celebrate for this moment...on behalf of Sasuke. It wasn't that she was repulsed by the idea of going out with him, she had simply spent a great portion of her life fantasising about Naruto to the point where she never paid attention to anyone else. She just couldn't imagine herself dating anyone except the hyperactive blonde in front of her. Nevertheless, she shot Naruto a smile. This time it was genuine, even though he did not turn to look at her as he frantically pressed the keys on his mobile phone.

 **Bonus!**

"What the...fuck?!" Sasuke glared at his computer screen and grabbed the nearest glass to throw. Itachi happened to be peeking at the screen furtively from behind and swiftly dodged the moment his brother's hand swung back. He grabbed his wrist and read the tweet aloud in a monotonous voice.

 _"Sasuke-kun kissed me today!~XOXO Can't w8 for him to ask me out again O:)"_

Itachi raised a brow at this and sighed. "Foolish little brother, what have you gotten yourself into?"

Sasuke jumped from his chair and lunged at his brother, only to be tossed aside like a rag doll. He landed on his bed and grabbed a pillow to throw it at Itachi. The man easily avoided the flying object and crossed his arms disapprovingly. "I really thought you liked Hinata-chan. Even I find her rather endearing."

"I never said I did!" Sasuke growled. Itachi smiled knowingly and waved him off.

"Whatever you say, little brother. Don't let Haruno-san control you."

"Hah? Control me? That's not-"

The room turned silent when Sasuke's phone beeped. Both brothers cast his phone a glance before staring at each other blankly. Itachi shrugged and left Sasuke to his privacy, while the younger brother snatched his phone from the desk.

 _Naruto: HINATA SAID SHE'LL GO OUT WITH YOU DATTEBAYO!_

 _Naruto: You owe me ten bowls of ramen for this._

 _Sasuke: What the hell, weren't you so eager to date her today._

 _Naruto: Ahh I just wanted to ask her what she thought about you dattebayo. It wasn't supposed to come out that way..._

 _Naruto: So I arranged a date for you two, and she said yes! Teme you owe me._

 _Sasuke: Don't be stupid I never said I would go out with her._

 _Naruto: Sasuke-chan you cannot lie to me heheheh..._

 _Sasuke: __ |_

 _Naruto: Talk to her tomorrow ok? Good luck:P_

Sasuke mentally facepalmed at the whole situation. He started to regret agreeing to go home with Sakura, and most of all, for kissing her back. It didn't mean jack shit to him but he knew that girls were sentimental about these kind of things. This arranged "date" couldn't have come at a better time, seeing how rumours about him and Sakura would be all around school to haunt him the next day. How was he going to face Hinata now?


	5. Chapter 5

**AN:** Hey everyone, I apologise for the wait! I couldn't find Wi-Fi for a pretty long period of time, not to mention I had major exams to study for. Nonetheless, hope y'all enjoy this chapter! :-)

* * *

 **Part V**

"HI-NA-TA!"

Hinata spun around when she heard her name only to feel a body collide with hers, firm arms wrapping themselves around her neck. Pink strands of hair brushed across her face as Sakura nuzzled her cheek against her own. She blushed at the contact.

"Sakura-san..."

"Hinata!" The pinkette pulled back and shot her a megawatt smile. "Sasuke-kun took my first kiss yesterday!" She started bouncing around like a helium balloon that somebody had let go of, much like Naruto had done the previous day, before jumping back to hug the frozen blunette. "He even used tongue..." she whispered into Hinata's ear and squealed excitedly, completely oblivious to her discomfort.

Hinata was unsure of what to think. The moment Sakura told her the big news, she was supposed to feel happy for her, or at the very least obliged to feel so. However, her tummy did an odd flip and she felt her heart sink a little, yet she could not fathom why. She knew that the handsome boy had a hoard of girls falling at his feet, willing to steal kisses from him whenever he wanted, but it was not as if she felt anything romantic towards him. He was her friend, but her heart clenched painfully upon realising that Sasuke had stolen her own first kiss as well as Sakura's. More than anything she felt cheated on, even if she had no right to feel that way since they were not involved.

"I-I'm h-happy for you, Sakura-san..." she whispered half-heartedly, trying her best to mask her inner turmoil. Fortunately, the hyperactive girl seemed too absorbed in her sweet ruminations to realise that something felt off.

"CHA! He's going to ask me to be his girlfriend soon, don't you think?"

"H-Hai...I think so."

Sakura pulled Hinata's cheeks and giggled at her cute, puffy face. She looked like a perfect China doll that anyone would want to take home, especially when her eyes were so huge and innocent, much like a puppy's. Hinata winced slightly at the feeling of her cheeks being pulled taut but did not protest. A moment later, she promptly excused herself to head to class even though she was twenty minutes early. Sakura unsuspiciously waved her goodbye and skipped off to find Ino.

It wasn't that Hinata was upset about Sakura's kiss with...Sasuke. A part of her felt genuinely happy that her good friend was able to sneak a kiss from the person she admired, and she secretly wished that she was bold enough to make the move on Naruto. However, another part of her – the bigger part – felt sour about the whole affair. She had not forgotten the way Sasuke had kissed her, and for that moment he actually made her feel like she was the only girl in his eyes. She would never tell Sakura that he had kissed her before, so there was this overwhelming desire to crawl into a hole and hide in the shadows. She felt like Sasuke had cheated on her, yet at the same time she felt a sense of guilt, thinking that she was equally responsible for doing something like this behind her friend's back. She entered class with her head down and a heavy heart. Perhaps she did feel upset after all.

She did not realise that Sasuke was watching her closely from the corner of the classroom.

* * *

At the sound of the bell, Hinata heaved a sigh of relief and started packing her bag to leave. Shikamaru's still body gave a sudden jerk at the shrill, reverberating noise and he stretched, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Gaara eyed him with a strange look. The first thing that he had noticed about the class president was that he was _lazy_. He realised somewhere in between their previous conversations that he was the person his elder sister had been talking about, and he knew beforehand that the guy was lazy but  this was rather unexpected. He basically took lazy to a whole new level, yet his grades were still top-notch, something that he found worth applauding for.

Gaara took a moment to scan the rest of the class, noticing many unique individuals. Everyone seemed to radiate a different charm, which was as intriguing as it could get for a stoic person such as himself. Aburame Shino was the only one in class who seemed to blend into the surroundings, yet that alone made him stand out amidst the others who exuded strong vibes. Yamanaka Ino was currently conversing with his male deskmate, and she seemed rather intelligent herself although appearance wise she looked much like a bimbo. She shot him a shaky smile when she noticed him looking. Behind her stood Haruno Sakura, her best friend who seemed excruciatingly annoying for her voice itself was loud and rather nasty to his ears. Her hair was what caught his attention though, and he wondered how unhealthy it was after all that bleaching. Uzumaki Naruto, the hyperactive male with a brain the size of a peanut. He seemed ignorant at first glance, but he couldn't be that stupid if he was able to remain in this class. Then there was this eccentric bob-haired dude in a tight-fitting uniform doing crunches at the back of the class. What was his name again? Bruce Lee? Whatever. Lastly...

He turned his gaze to his other deskmate and the male in front of her. Hyuuga Hinata, and Uchiha Sasuke. The male's eyes flickered towards his direction for a split second but quickly returned to the Hyuuga. He knew that he was listening in, but he made no effort to hide anything. Gaara could not help but snort. The Uchiha was definitely an arrogant brat, though he was not really one to talk. They were similar in many ways, except that Sasuke always had a large group of girls at his beck and call, whereas they tried to stay as far away from him as they possibly could. He refused to think that he was any less good-looking than Sasuke, being the conceited bastard he was. In fact he was grateful that no females clung to him like they did to the Uchiha, otherwise blood would eventually be shed.

Then there was Hyuuga Hinata. She was the epitome of an angel. She usually attempted small talk with him when she realised that he was being anti-social, even though it was highly unnecessary. At times she would even lend him her pencil when he broke his wooden one out of spite, unfazed by his quirks. It was a sin to be that kind, and the demon in him was lusting for a taste of that sin. There was the desire to push her to her limits, exploit and corrupt this beauty in front of him – yes, he admitted that she was attractive in the most subtle way – just to sate his inner desires. This world was too rotten for someone like her. Hinata turned to him and smiled briefly, before mumbling something to Sasuke that he could not hear. Moments later, the pair was out of the classroom, leaving him alone with a bunch of noisy classmates. Gaara simply packed his bag and left, only to see the raven-haired teens entering a quiet, unused classroom surreptitiously. He snorted and walked the other direction, uninterested in their suspicious affairs.

* * *

"Hinata, as I was saying-"

"N-No."

"I haven't finished-"

"No...gomen, Sasuke-kun."

"How did you know what I was going to ask?"

"Naruto-kun told me yesterday...I was supposed to..."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed dangerously and he took slow steps towards her. Every step forward for him was one step back for her, until her spine touched the wall. Hinata gulped as he brought both arms to the sides of her head, caging her in. She wanted to look elsewhere but was unable to turn away from that intense gaze. She felt utterly trapped.

"G-Gomen...I...I just can't," she stuttered helplessly, looking down at her shoes and fiddling with the hem of her jacket.

"Is this because of Sakura?" he asked lowly. She could not decipher his feelings, but neither could she make out her own. Was it really? She knew that Sasuke was supposed to take her out as Naruto had forced her into promising, but after a long period of contemplation she realised there was no way she could hold her end of the deal. It wasn't about Sakura anymore, it was about...them. It was just _wrong_. Wrong towards herself, and wrong towards him, since she did not reciprocate whatever feelings he was implied to have for her. Most of all, it was wrong towards Sakura.

"No," she said firmly, surprising him for a second. "I-I'm sorry, Sasuke-san..."

His eyes twitched at the new honorific. He had just been demoted to a "-san", and it did _not_ make him feel good.

"Hinata, follow me."

Without waiting for her reply, he grabbed her hand and proceeded to drag her towards a desolate hallway. They descended two flights of stairs and headed out of the building and into the next. Hinata did not stop her soft protests the entire time, but Sasuke tuned them all out. She started to panic, seeing a glimpse of anger in those charcoal orbs of his. Truth to be told, Hinata was scared that he would do something to her. After all, he did seem like the forceful kind who was used to getting his way.

Moments later, they entered a quiet dojo and he shut the shouji doors loudly. Hinata's eyes widened when they took in her surroundings and she concluded that he was here to beat her into a pulp for refusing his offer. She struggled to leave but Sasuke leaned forwards to cup her cheek with a warm hand. This action was so affectionate that she promptly froze, staring into his eyes, vaguely aware that they were close enough to feel each other's hot breaths.

"Hinata, I'm not trying to hurt you. Trust me?"

 _You trust me, don't you?_

Naruto had said those words too, and she felt a wave of guilt replacing her initial fear when she realised that she did not fully trust the teenager in front of her, unlike Naruto. They had been spending more time together since this year, but Sasuke seemed...dark. She had never been close enough to him to say that she could trust him wholeheartedly. The darkness in him was just as attention-grabbing as it was repelling. She could never figure out what was going on in that mind of his, but he was definitely a moody, mysterious person that she was not too interested in getting close to. It was unpredictable moments like these with him that truly frightened her.

Sasuke sensed her hesitation and slowly released her hand, letting his fingers glide from her palm to her fingertips as he pulled away. Uchiha Sasuke felt – for the first time in his eighteen years of living – like he had just been slapped. He did not even recall feeling this dejected when his father disowned him. Betrayed, yes, but not...this kind of sadness. He turned away from her, preparing to leave when he heard her soft voice.

"I-I do..." she whispered breathlessly. "I do...t-trust you, I mean..."

He could not even bring himself to smirk at this. Her nervousness was pretty cute, but today was just not his day. It irked him, seeing how she was this apprehensive around him only, as if he had just brought her to a slaughterhouse. They were supposed to be friends, good friends at that, yet they had managed to spiral down to the current state which Sasuke was unsure if he could even call a friendship. Was she mad, thinking that he would hurt her for rejecting him? He felt very insulted.

"I want you to spar with me."

It had started off awkwardly at first, at least from Hinata's perspective it did. Sasuke seemed to be balancing his offence and defence casually rather than attacking her head on with a vicious intent, unlike the way he fought during the competition. Once or twice she caught him smirk when she managed to parry a quick attack, which made her pride swell. Even her father did not acknowledge her efforts, only choosing to concentrate on areas which she had failed in. Sasuke made her feel like an equal, even though she was certain that he was a great deal stronger than she was.

Sasuke, on the other hand, was not paying much attention to the spar. He was impressed with her skills since she was so petite, but a large part of his brain was a blank. The only time he sparred was when he had steam to let out, but this time he was not entirely sure himself why he had brought Hinata here. One thing he knew was that if Hinata was not intending to go out with him, then he would have to find another way to spend time with her. Perhaps this was a different approach that would not garner her suspicion. More importantly, he needed to set the record straight. Uchiha Sasuke was not going to play around this time.

"Hinata," his low voice cut through the thick fog in her brain. She dodged a blow to her abdomen and lunged forward to strike him, only to feel his firm fingers clasp around her wrist. In one swift motion he flipped her to the side and she landed unceremoniously on her rear. She attempted a smooth backflip but he stopped her by settling himself above her pelvis, earning an embarrassed gasp from her.

"Hinata, I...I'm _sorry_."

She gaped at him for several long seconds, trying to blink away the sudden haze in her mind. Was _the_ Uchiha Sasuke apologising? To her? For what? He seemed to have read her mind since his next line saved her the trouble of formulating a sensible reply.

"I shouldn't have done what I did to Sakura. It was a bad mistake and I realised that. Don't get me wrong I don't do these things to my fangirls, I know that's what you're thinking."

Hinata was stumped, unsure of how to respond. "Eto...I-I shouldn't have a s-say in your life...you shouldn't apologise, Sasuke-kun." She tried to smile but it came out rather crooked, making the Uchiha frown.

"Good, 'cause you're not hearing it from me again. I screwed up once, and I won't do it again."

"You made Sakura-san very happy, I think you should look for her...you shouldn't be here, in this place, with me..."

A vein throbbed in his temple and he struggled to hold back the exasperated groan threatening to escape his lips. "I did tell you before that I was selfish, Hinata. I don't give a fuck about what Sakura feels." Hinata bit her lip at the coarse language but he found it rather, dare he say it, cute.

"She's your friend, Sasuke-kun...I think Sakura-san is g-good for you. She may be overbearing sometimes, but she is very caring inside. She really loves you."

"That's why I don't intend to string her along. I can't return her feelings, and I don't want her to be a fling, because she's my...friend."

"Sasuke-kun, ano, can you get off me first? I-It's a little...uncomfortable."

"No, I'll forget everything later so we need to talk right now."

 _Lies._

Hinata gulped.

"Forget about Naruto." Hinata started protesting indignantly when he cut her off. "It's not about me, it's about you. The dobe doesn't feel the same way, so stop wasting your time."

"S-Sasuke-kun...you should speak for yourself."

His eyes widened upon hearing those words. Granted, it was true that Hinata did not return his feelings, but it actually hurt to hear it aloud from her own mouth. He never expected the meek wallflower to have such audacity, but since it was her, there was no way he could bear to do anything to her. Hinata spoke nothing but the truth, even if it was harsh.

"This is different," he growled and Hinata flinched at the icy tone.

 _You were my first kiss too, Hinata._

"If anything, Naruto and I have only one thing in common, and that is our will. I won't give up on anything I set my eyes on." To get his message across, he laced their fingers together and smiled inwardly when he saw a blush creeping onto her face. Their hands seemed to fit together like puzzle pieces, although Hinata was too flustered to notice. _This_ was why he knew that he stood a chance, unlike Naruto with Sakura. At least she did not struggle, for if she did he knew that he would've let her go. The Uchiha was already growing soft, around a Hyuuga no less, and he knew that his father would throw a tantrum if he ever found out.

Sasuke was sick of mindless drama and cold showers. Both Hinata and himself were aware of what he wanted by then, and from there he would simply go all out. Hinata was unlike the typical stoic Hyuuga they were born and bred to become, but one trait she managed to retain was her practical mindset. Even though she was a hopeless romantic, she was also aware that her chances with Naruto were close to zero. As long as he tried hard enough, he was certain that he could break her resolve. The only thing that was holding her back was her utmost loyalty towards the idiot. If Naruto could not see what a great person she was then it was his loss, Sasuke concluded. He didn't like the idea of forcing Hinata into something she didn't want – at the moment, hopefully not sometime later – but he had to do things his way if he wanted the result to be favourable. She would wait an eternity for Naruto, but he would not do the same in hopes of Naruto changing his mind because he knew him inside out. The dobe was simply not going to give up on Sakura.

"I'm not sorry," he muttered and stood up apathetically. Hinata heaved a sigh of relief and sat up, rubbing her behind. She hoped it would not bruise from the impact of landing. Sasuke had a weird way of conveying his messages, Hinata thought. He was probably _slightly_ apologetic for hurling her onto the ground so carelessly, but most definitely not so for invading her personal space for a good ten minutes. He never was, and probably never will be. He offered his hand to which she took gratefully, and he pulled her up. When she smiled, she noticed the edge of his lips curl up before he turned to the door bashfully, though he tried hard to make himself seem nonchalant.

"Do you want me to walk you home?"

"Eh? If you have other things to do then you should go ahead..."

Sasuke rubbed the back of his neck tiredly. "Actually, I need to meet the dobe to work on the chemistry assignment."

"I thought Lee-san was Naruto-kun's partner?"

"No, the dobe came back to me in the end. Hmph."

Hinata laughed and he snorted. That sounded exactly like what Naruto would do. She was envious of the close relationship the two of them shared, and she often wondered what it was like to be able to bicker with a rival who shared the closest bond with her at the same time. She could not foresee Neji and herself in this predicament, since he would most likely kill her off quickly and cleanly during a fight. Kiba felt more like an older brother to her than anything else. Naruto and Sasuke were lucky in a way, since they seemed to be able to find warmth in the other's company, even if they always fought over the smallest of things.

"See you then," Sasuke muttered. Hinata snapped out of her thoughts and waved back shyly as she watched his retreating form. He halted abruptly in his tracks and tilted his head back. "Uh, Hinata..."

"Hai?"

"You were good."

She spluttered helplessly for the next few seconds, completely taken aback by the compliment from _the_ Uchiha Sasuke. Her face brightened by several notches and she called out his name, thanking him profusely as she did so. He did not turn around, so she assumed that he was already out of hearing range. With a small pout on her face, she proceeded back to class for her bag, hoping that the classroom was not already locked.

* * *

When Hinata walked out of the school gate, it was already early evening. The clouds were heavy and looming overhead, with only a few streaks of purple and orange painting the picturesque sky. She hummed softly to herself as she walked daintly towards the exit but a rather chilly breeze blew past which seemed to molest her clothes. She stopped and pulled down her skirt slightly, though she could not shake off the feeling of being watched. It was an instinct which she had developed over the years.

"W-Who's there?" She spun around, scanning the area with sharp eyes. It was then she noticed an inconspicuous foot sticking out from behind a tree trunk atop one of the branches. Out of curiosity she took several steps towards the direction and peeked over, only to be greeted by cold turquoise eyes and a wild mess of red hair.

"Gaara-san!" she sighed. "You scared me...what are you doing up there?"

"People-watching," he replied bluntly. Truth to be told, he was appalled that she managed to spot him but gave no indication of his thoughts. Meanwhile, Hinata was giving him an odd look but he merely batted an eyelash and turned his gaze to the clouds.

"Why don't you head home..?"

"I don't want to."

"Oh..." Hinata did not know what to say. He seemed to be facing some personal problems though she was unsure of what they were, but it was clearly affecting him as she noticed from his speech and actions. Perhaps he was lonely?

"Ne, I was going to a cafe to grab a bite. Would you want to join me?" she asked hesitantly. Even though she paused, she hoped that he could tell that she was sincere about the offer. Gaara seemed to contemplate this for a while and he hopped off the branch, landing gracefully onto the grass like a cat.

"I am fine with it. There's no one here to watch anyway," he said blandly. Hinata still wondered why and how he developed this peculiar hobby but decided that some things were better left unknown.

The two walked in a comfortable silence to a nearby cafe. It was one that Hinata frequented for her weekly dose of cinnamon rolls, since the quality of pastries was commendable. They took a seat by the window.

"Are you ready to take your order?" a waiter asked politely. Hinata looked at Gaara who did not even spare the waiter a glance. He merely watched her, so she ordered a cup of hot chocolate. The waiter scribbled down and bowed courteously, though she did not miss his lingering gaze on Gaara.

"Ano...have you been here before?"

"No."

"Do you like pastries? They have good ones here..."

"Not really."

Hinata withheld a defeated sigh and turned to watch the many passers-by from behind the window. Making small talk with an acquaintance – she supposed he was not exactly a friend yet – was not easy, but it seemed that she was the only one making an effort, not to mention they were completely futile. Perhaps she would be better off keeping her mouth shut. A moment later, the hot chocolate arrived, but Hinata pushed the beverage towards the redhead. He raised a non-existent brow at this.

"It's yours."

"N-No...I ordered it for you. Do try it," she pleaded lightly.

Much to her surprise, Gaara accepted the drink, even though he was eyeing her suspiciously as he lifted the cup to his lips. He noticed that Hinata had lied when she told him she was intending to eat out, though he wondered why she wanted to spend additional time with someone like himself. She bowed her head shyly to avoid looking into his eyes and fiddled with her fingers in her lap. "H-How is it?" she whispered.

"Try it yourself," he replied stoicly and pushed the cup back to her. She blushed and reached out to take a small sip, since she was thirsty and all. Gaara stared at her incredulously, amazed that anyone would even want to share anything with him. He refused to admit that he was touched by such a trivial gesture, brushing off this feeling casually. Hyuuga Hinata was a weird girl.

"It's nice, as I always remember it to be," she giggled softly and returned the cup to him. She quickly reached for her napkin and dabbed at her lips, realising belatedly that she had enthusiastically accepted an indirect kiss from Gaara. She hoped that he was not forming terrible impressions of her with that unnerving stare of his. Like Sasuke's, she felt like she was being stripped naked by his gaze alone. On the other hand, the indirect kiss was the last thing on Gaara's mind as he reached out for the cup and brought it to his lips once again. Hinata blushed but he thought nothing of it since she always did.

Hinata offered to pay the bill in the end, and Gaara did not protest. They left the cafe half an hour after their arrival, but he stopped Hinata abruptly in the middle of the street. "I'll be going now," he said and walked off before Hinata could even respond. Both the fact that he simply waved her off like a fly and his lack of gratitude crept into her mind but she quickly brushed it off. Gaara was unlike most others, so she supposed that it was alright. After all, Hinata did things because she wanted to, and not because she expected anything in return.

Therefore she was utterly shell-shocked when she found a steaming cup of hot chocolate on her desk the next day. The redhead, on the other hand, was nowhere to be seen.

* * *

 **AN** : This is random, but I had recently been hit by some inspiration out of the blue, and I'm thinking of writing a SasuHina oneshot once I'm done with this story. (I mean a real oneshot this time, not like how this one started haha.) I can't wait! :3


	6. Chapter 6

**Part VI**

It had been a long time since Hinata had felt this happy. It was funny how a mere cup of hot chocolate could make someone's day, but it managed to for Hinata. She wrapped her fingers around the warm cup and brought the tip to her lips. The feeling of rich chocolate trickling down her dry throat early in the morning was heavenly and she sighed in bliss, unaware that Sasuke had a curious expression plastered on his features as he watched her.

When the bell rang, students quickly shuffled to their seats as homeroom teacher Umino Iruka stepped into class. As usual, he was punctual, whereas Naruto was nowhere to be seen. A few seconds later, a flash of yellow appeared at the entrance and the blonde bolted towards his seat, earning a disapproving frown from Iruka.

"Sorry Iruka-sensei, I overslept again!" Naruto yelled in explanation.

Iruka wanted to chatise the boy for his lack of discipline especially when his dormitory was only a stone's throw away from the building, but he decided to drop it. They had had this conversation many times before yet he never turned over a new leaf, always rushing in at the last moment before he was given a demerit point. Perhaps Naruto liked to lead a dangerous life. The class, on the other hand, remained motionless since this was a common occurence.

"Quickly take your seat, Naruto!" Iruka ordered with a vein protruding on the column of his neck. "Good morning class, sorry for that just now. I've an announcement to make regarding the camp after your exams-" He was then interrupted by catcalls and whistles from the class, and he smiled at their enthusiasm. It felt like he was teaching a bunch of kindergardeners rather than high school students. When the cheering died down, he cleared his throat and resumed his speech.

"I see you all are very excited about that. You will be camping along Mount Fuji from the 28th of October to the 1st of November, five days and four nights in the woods. It'll be pretty cold, so do bring your necessary clothes and heat packs if needed to keep yourselves warm. Afterwards you will go home, rest for a day then return to school for your result slips and the graduation ceremony. Understood?"

Sakura's hand shot up instantly. "Iruka-sensei! When will you tell us the groupings?"

Iruka laughed to himself, "I was just getting to that. I have the groupings right here...and I will paste it on the board so check it out later!" He turned around to pin the piece of paper to the board. Right after the last thumbtack was pushed into place, a hoard of students rushed towards him, causing Iruka to let out an uncharacteristic shriek. He quickly dodged past the crowd and ran out of the class.

Meanwhile, Sasuke could hear his name on Sakura and Ino's tongues among those who were eagerly checking out the groupings. It was things like this that drove him mad every single day. He turned around to look at Hinata who currently had her eyes on Naruto. The idiot was completely oblivious to her and was fighting Kiba relentlessly just to get nearer to the board. The burning sensation in his chest did not subside when he noticed the dreamy look in her eyes. However, he felt a bit of relief when he noticed that Gaara was absent.

Sasuke pursed his lips and stood up, making his way to the noticeboard. He waved the fangirls away like flies and fixed his eyes on the piece of paper.

 _Group 1:_

 _Nara Shikamaru_

 _Uchiha Sasuke_

 _Aburame Shino_

 _Haruno Sakura_

 _Hyuuga Hinata_

 _Sabaku no Gaara_

 _Group 2:_

 _Uzumaki Naruto_

 _Akimichi Chouji_

 _Ten Ten_

 _Inuzuka Kiba_

 _Yamanaka Ino_

 _Rock Lee_

Sasuke grinned to himself when he saw that Hinata was in the same group as him but a frown quickly replaced his expression when he noticed Sabaku Gaara in the same group. He cursed when he saw Sakura's name as well. Just when he was about to return to his seat, someone latched onto his hand and he spun around to glare at the pest, only to meet sparkling green eyes.

"Sakura."

"Sasuke-kun! We're in the same group!"

"Hn," he swiped her hand away and stalked off, not giving her a second glance. Unfortunately she followed him to his seat and continued rambling about the camp's activities and snowball fights, all of which were ignored since it was useless talk. If Sakura thought that he was playing hard-to-get by not giving her the time of the day then she couldn't be more wrong. Right now he was putting in a great deal of effort to tune out her voice.

Suddenly, a pair of arms wound themselves around his shoulders and a thick strand of blonde hair brushed his collarbone. He snapped his head to the side and scowled at Ino while wrinkling his nose at the overwhelming stench of fruity perfume. It would have smelled nice if she stood a metre away, but up close it seemed to clog his windpipe.

"INO-PIG! Get away from Sasuke-kun!" Sakura screeched.

Ino merely stuck out her tongue and continued fondling him, much to his discomfort. Sakura lunged at the blonde and wrenched her arms away before falling into his lap. She blushed at her accident but quickly used the opportunity to wrap her arms around his torso. When Sasuke thought it couldn't get any worse, a loud blonde knucklehead threw himself on him as well. His arms pressed them all together tightly and he yelled out something about an elementary school reunion hug. Sasuke's glare was so menacing he swore he could engulf the two idiots in flames just from one look. With an uncharacteristically loud growl, he shoved the two aside with as much as strength as he could muster and watched in satisfaction as Sakura fell off his lap. Naruto also tumbled onto the ground in a messy heap of limbs.

Before either could make a protest he stuffed his hands into his pockets and stormed out of the classroom with the intention to skip the next lesson. Never had he felt so violated in his life, and although he was a male, he thought for a moment back there that he could possibly get raped by Naruto and Sakura, if not his fangirls. Before he disappeared past the door he shot a quick glance at Hinata whose eyes were currently following him. Her head was cocked to the side like a cute parrot, but her eyes were crinkled in amusement. He scowled and averted his gaze, feeling a small blush growing on his cheeks. He tried hard to bring it down since Uchiha Sasuke _did not get embarrassed_.

Meanwhile, Hinata brought up a hand to muffle her mirthful laughter. For a moment she actually found Uchiha Sasuke _cute_. It was endearing to see how Naruto and Sakura adored him even when he seemed so cold, and the more he tried to push them away the more forceful they were in trying to keep him close. As she pondered idly about the trio, she fiddled with her phone wondering if she should check up on her deskmate. Shikamaru had told her he wasn't aware of anything, and she wouldn't trouble him to ask Temari on behalf of her. She hesitated for a long moment before deciding to send him a text.

 _Hinata: Sabaku-san, are you alright? Why aren't you in school? :(_

She put her phone away just when history teacher Sarutobi Asuma stepped into class. For the next half an hour she was diligently copying notes when her phone vibrated under the table. Shikamaru's eyes opened slowly and he turned to face her, head still resting on his forearm. Hinata hesitated to check her new message since she had never broken a single rule in school, and she wanted to maintain her crystal clear record. However, curiosity eventually won the battle and she withdrew her phone to take a quick peek. Shikamaru raised a brow at her sudden audacity and she shot him a shaky smile.

 _Gaara: Didn't feel like going._

 _Hinata: I see...thank you for the drink. It wasn't necessary..._

 _Gaara: Hn. I owed you._

 _Hinata: Ano...do you stay in the dormitory?_

When Asuma's eyes flickered to her she swiftly hid her phone under her pile of books and feigned innocence. Shikamaru would have laughed at her act if it took up less energy. There was no reply for a long moment and Hinata was starting to worry if she had asked a sensitive question. She whipped out her phone again and started typing out an apology for her lack of tact when his reply came in.

 _Gaara: Yes. My older siblings made me._

 _Hinata: Haha:) Do you want my notes for today?_

 _Gaara: No I won't read them. Why would you even ask that._

 _Hinata: Ano...I don't know._

 _Hinata: You should come back tomorrow:)_

 _Gaara: Hn._

"Hyuuga-san, are you using your phone?" Asuma bellowed all of a sudden and Hinata's back straightened instantly, hands fumbling to bury her phone underneath the mountain of books on her table inconspicuously. She wanted to shake her head but being the honest girl she was, she could not bring herself to lie so she ended up staring at him like a dead fish.

"Detention for you today," he said and went back to teaching. Hinata sulked and rested her forehead on the table while the rest of the class stared at her in shock. A Hyuuga getting detention? That was almost unheard of. The last time Neji got into a fight with Naruto, it made headlines on the school magazine. She hoped that she did not shift the spotlight to herself since this was clearly a negative reason to be acknowledged by her peers. She needed the validation, but this was not how she wanted to be noticed.

"Gaara?" Shikamaru asked casually. Hinata snapped out of her reverie and her eyes widened. The look on her face told him that he was right.

"H-H-How did you know?" she asked while turning to face him.

"Interacting with a delinquent will make you daring enough to do things you normally don't," he stated indifferently, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"I-It could be Sasuke-kun," she protested weakly.

"Yeah, but I made a wild guess and your face said it all."

Hinata pouted and turned away, twirling a pencil between her slender fingers. "You're so sly...you would make a good detective, Shikamaru-kun," she told him shyly.

"Maybe a better conman," he joked. Her eyes grew as wide as saucers and he enjoyed seeing the frenzied expression that crossed her face. He waved her off and rested his head on his arms again, preparing to drift off into another peaceful slumber. Hinata turned back to her phone and unlocked the screen.

 _Hinata: Oh no...I got into detention._

A wave of regret coursed through her the moment the text was sent. She had no idea what was going on in her head when she did it, since it sounded terribly random. It was not as if her detention was anything to boast about, and telling it to a mere acquaintance was rather odd. Nevertheless she could not take back her words so she swallowed the lump in her throat and put her phone away for good.

It did not vibrate again, but it wasn't as if she expected it to.

* * *

After school, Hinata was assigned to sweep the classroom alone. She was grateful that the chore was not excessively tedious since it was her first time in all her days of schooling receiving punishment. She tried hard to erase the image of Iruka-sensei shaking his head in disappointment as she hastily cleared the dust from all four corners of the classroom with a broomstick and dustpan. It was already past mid-afternoon and she was the only one left in class to do the chores, she hoped that her father would not receive news of this or else she would have to face him when she went home.

When the class was spick and span, she emptied the dustpan and eagerly grabbed her bag to leave. She rushed out of the doors, feeling the cool wind brushing her face as she did so. It was nearing winter, and brown leaves littered the pavement to the school's entrance. A part of her was glad that she was not tasked to sweep this area instead since the weather was chilly and there were so many leaves to clear.

However, she paused near the gates and turned to look at the same tree yesterday. There was no indication of a person there, but somehow she just _knew_ that she was being watched. She treaded warily towards the tree and peered up to see a familiar face.

"Sabaku-san!"

"Hn."

"What are you doing up there again?" she asked daringly. Who was she to question him? Gaara was taken aback by her incessant nagging which resembled that of his sister's. It made him feel like he was being protected and cared for, both of which he did not exactly welcome since the last time he did, it only got him hurt.

"I do whatever I want, whenever I want, Hyuuga." That being said, he leaped off the branch and landed right in front of her. She was startled for a moment and took a step back, but Gaara thought that it was out of fear and inadvertently scowled. The sun was setting, shades of orange painting over his pale features and highlighting the contours of his face from beneath the tree's shadow. A ray of light shone onto his forehead and Hinata realised for the first time that there was a red word imprinted on the left side where his hair parted. Instead of being turned off, she took a step forward and looked at it closely, her delicate eyebrows furrowed in concentration.

"Ai..."

 _Love._

Gaara didn't flinch at that remark. Instead he remained still, allowing her to look her fill even though he found it odd that anyone would even give him their full attention, especially when it came to trivial things such as his tattoo.

"Sabaku-san...do you...ano...do you love someone?" Gaara would have snapped at her for asking such a ridiculous question but he held his tongue, for what reason he wasn't sure.

"No," he stated blankly, "in case you're wondering, it's a tattoo. I'm not obliged to tell you its story."

Instead of cowering at his cold disposition, Hinata bowed in apology for the personal question. She was crossing the line by probing into an acquaintance's personal life and she knew it, so she gracefully accepted his snide response. He was clearly reluctant to let her in on his past, and she understood that he had good reason to.

"My mother died," he said all of a sudden. Hinata found it strange that he was contradicting his earlier statement by revealing the surface of his background. It seemed that he had changed his mind, but she wasn't about to question him. "I never got to see her, so my uncle gave me a tattoo." He pointed to his forehead.

"Your uncle?"

"He was a tattoo artist. Uncle told me that my mother loved me till the end, and the tattoo will always remind me that she did." Hinata unconsciously took a step forward and raised a hand to his face. His eyes narrowed slightly, daring her to lay a slap to his face before he put her into the ICU. However, Hyuuga Hinata never failed to do things contrary to his expectations since he found her hand lightly touching the tattoo on his forehead. He was adverse to touch so his instinct was screaming at him to push her away and rid himself of this strange, borderline ticklish sensation. Oddly enough, he held back once again.

"I see...Gaara-san I believe both your mother and uncle loved you very much," she said softly. It was then he clenched his jaw and grabbed hold of her wrist harshly. She was startled out of the trance she was in and he could clearly see the panic rising onto her countenance.

"My uncle's dead too," he growled threateningly. He wasn't entirely sure why he was feeling so defensive since he was the one who chose to let her have a glimpse of his past, but the feeling of having someone care for him was rather hazy. If Gaara were to sum up the bulk of his conflicting feelings with a word then it would be fear. He feared getting scorned at by Hinata, who seemed too innocent for his liking at first glance. He feared her spreading rumours about him, and then he would have to transfer school _again_ – and drag his siblings along at that. Most of all, he feared that he would end up trusting her if she kept his secrets, and then she would betray him, leaving him alone to bear an even greater burden than before.

Much to his surprise, Hinata did not back away. Neither did she scream at him like he was some monster and make a run for it. Instead...

"I lost my mother and uncle too."

Now he was not expecting that. He wasn't expecting to have anything in common with this girl _at all_ with her being an angel and him a demon. Yet, a part of him felt reassured that he was not alone after all. Gaara was coming undone, and to think that Hyuuga Hinata was the cause. He quickly released his grip on her wrist and he watched her arm fall limply to her side. She switched her attention to her shoes while he simply looked at her, trying to unravel this enigma standing before his eyes as if she were a puzzle.

* * *

Unbeknownst to the pair, Sasuke was eyeing them from the rooftop, fingers gripping tightly onto the wired fence. A cold wind blew past, his bangs swaying from side to side, ebony strands lashing out at his face mercilessly. At this point Uchiha Sasuke looked absolutely murderous. Never had he considered the Sabaku as a rival, but the lines he had drawn were becoming so nebulous he was not sure if there was a point in keeping them anymore. Gaara had officially been promoted to the top of his blacklist, followed closely by Hyuuga Neji and Uzumaki Naruto. (Technically, Itachi was in another list altogether but that was besides the point.)

He felt a burn in his chest when he saw Hinata reach out to caress his face, even though it was just an innocent touch. She was like a curious child, for everything seemed fascinating to her and she wanted to explore anything that was unusual, one example being Gaara's tattoo. He vaguely wondered if she would touch him too if he showed her the tattoo on his neck, but he quickly pushed away the string of inappropriate thoughts which followed.

If Gaara was the one to touch _his_ Hinata first, then he had a good reason to pummel the spiteful redhead. Much to his displeasure, Hinata was the one who initiated the contact. He was angry, since she was not supposed to touch anyone else but him, yet he knew he was just being possessive without having a right to. She did not have to answer to him, so it was definitely just him being all bitter about something he should not even concern himself with. Uchiha Sasuke had definitely stooped down a level or two from the pedestal that everyone had placed him on.

At that instant, his mobile phone rang. He groaned aloud and whipped out the pesky device, pressing the answer button with a greater force than needed. He hastily placed it next to his ear.

"What?" he grumbled.

 _"Don't sound so pissed, it's just me, little brother."_

Sasuke didn't see anything wrong with that. The contact name alone was, in his opinion, a legitimate reason to get upset. Itachi constantly reminded him of the reason he was estranged with his parents. Though he loved his brother, a part of him still hated him to the very core for being so _perfect,_ for being the outstanding son to his parents that he couldn't be.

 _"Anyway, I called to tell you that you should come to the hospital."_

"Why?"

 _"Mother."_

That was the only word that needed to be said. Without wasting another second, Sasuke hung up and bolted out the door, flying down the many flights of stairs till he reached the bottom, his haversack flying behind his back as he ran as fast as his feet could carry him. He didn't even turn to look at Hinata when she called out his name. He simply dashed past her and out of the gates, his eyes solely focused on the road in front of him.

There weren't many things that Uchiha Sasuke cared about. Truth to be told, he was ashamed to be disowned at the age of 14 since he was caught mingling with hooligans during the rebellious stage in his teenage years. The tattoo on his neck was a symbol that would be forever etched onto his skin, a constant reminder of his past. He was used to those occasional second-glances that people would shoot him, but he was already past the point of caring. He didn't care then, and he most certainly didn't care now. Even though people seemed to look up to him for his stunning face and body, top grades, and even his booming popularity (especially among the females), deep inside he knew that people were wary of him. After all, rumours of his previous offence spread like the swine flu, and this was something he had to endure for the rest of his life. His past was what made him who he was, so the statement that he was a juvenile and a failure to the Uchiha was not completely unjustified.

However, there were two people he was fortunate enough to meet who did not judge him based on his past alone. They saw him for who he really was and for that he was immensely grateful, though he would never show it. One of them was Naruto, and the other, Hinata. The latter had managed to creep her way into his steel heart and melt just a fraction of his icy demeanour. She showed him that people could be altruistic, and everyone had some good in them. She was too kind when she said that, but didn't they say that you always want what you can't have? Hinata's selflessness was what drew him to her, like a moth to a lamp. She was the complete opposite of what he was, but he wanted something that could complement his own dark side, someone who could give him a ray of hope and brighten his future, someone who could bring him happiness and be there to share it with him, and he was sure that Hinata could be that person.

Yes, Uchiha Sasuke liked Hinata. Very much so.

But if there was anyone in this world that Sasuke would give his life for it would be his mother.

* * *

 **AN:** Hope you guys liked the two chapters! As usual, constructive feedback is welcomed since I need you guys to help me out with my writing. I'm honestly an amateur writer therefore it would be nice to have some tips, plotwise or language wise.

On another note, school holidays are finally here! I have some studying to do (as usual), but it'll be free and easy so that means I have more time for leisure writing. Sounds great?! Haha I hope that's good news for those who are looking forward to updatesXD Once again thanks for supporting this fic. I really really hope you guys like it so far :-)


	7. Chapter 7

**AN:** Just a heads up, this chapter is pretty angsty if you ask me. Humour is non-existent so uhmm don't read this if you're in a sunny mood because it might just ruin it. HAHA XD

* * *

 **Part VII**

 _"Mother..."_

 _No words could describe his consternation when he stepped into the room. The putrid smell of antiseptic invaded his senses, but all he could focus on was the pitiful sight before him. His very own mother was lying on a bed, her skinny body shrouded in an oversized hospital gown with an IV drip connected to a vein on her arm by a long tube. The last time Sasuke had seen her was exactly 10 months ago, and he could see that she had aged rapidly. Her complexion had lost its healthy glow, and was replaced with pallid, sunken features. Her limbs were frail, her hair was gone, and the wrinkles around her eyes had become more prominent than he last remembered...but why was she still so beautiful?_

 _Sasuke ignored his father's hardened expression when he burst through the doors, as well as Itachi's blank one. He simply made his way to his mother's bedside without acknowledging the other two. For a moment he could only blink, and he watched a weak smile form on Mikoto's face._

 _"Why are you here? We aren't family anymore," Fugaku bit out. Sasuke was about to snap when he felt his mother's hands touch his. Her bony fingers were trembling so hard, he gripped onto them firmly hoping that he could stop the tremors somehow. Despite her illness, her hands were still as warm as he remembered._

 _"Hush..." she breathed out. Her breaths were so uneven, Sasuke felt his heart pounding hard from his ribcage for fear that she might just break. "Don't...don't scold him anymore. He's still...our boy..."_

 _Fugaku's features softened for a moment but he quickly schooled them into a neutral expression. His eyes darted to Sasuke and scanned him from top to bottom, taking in his physical changes. The boy had grown a little taller, with a well-built physique to boot. The contours of his face were slightly more defined, as was his sharp jawline. He noticed that he had gotten his ears pierced as well – the one on his right ear was a small black stud whereas the one on his left was a miniature cross. A ruggard look befitting of a delinquent, except that he was undoubtedly good-looking. If he removed his piercings and gelled his hair he could easily pull off a suit like the Uchiha he was._

 _He did not regret throwing this disgrace of a son out of the house that Friday night, but he knew that deep inside he was still attached to the boy. Like Mikoto said, Sasuke was after all his son. He had seen him grow up for more than a decade, he could not possibly eradicate all traces of affection towards his own son, but disowning him had been a responsibility. He was a reputable businessman and a prideful father. Sasuke was deemed a failure the moment he stepped onto the wrong side of the law, hence he had to be done away with._

 _Sasuke didn't meet his father's eyes. Instead, he pulled a chair forward and sat down, never letting go of Mikoto's hand as he did so. What now?_

 _"What happened to you?" he all but demanded. His voice would have come off as cold and distant, though he clearly wavered in his speech._

 _"Breast cancer," Itachi replied smoothly, "stage 4."_

 _"Were you keeping this from me all along?" Sasuke turned slightly and glared at his brother. Itachi recognised the immense hatred in those eyes and combed his fingers through his hair subtly to soothe his anxieties. He always acted nonchalant whenever his younger brother looked at him with such spite, but inwardly he was hurt. He loved Sasuke, and it was painful to see such a young boy bear so much hatred in his soul, worse still when it was directed to himself._

 _"Yes, but it was-"_

 _"No. It wasn't for my own good, you..." Sasuke felt his mother's fingers move to grab his fingers and he hesitated. "You scumbag..." he muttered. He originally planned to curse like there was no tomorrow but held himself back out of courtesy and respect for his mother. He was a failure to the family, but at least he still had some self-restraint. Fugaku merely watched the exchange with a clenched jaw._

 _Sasuke turned back to Mikoto and stroked her hands gingerly, feeling every protruding bone and vein as he did so. "I'd like some time alone with Mother, if that's fine," he said. It came out huskier than what he intended, but he managed to get his point across in the most polite way possible. Fugaku wanted to refute but in a second Itachi had crossed the room and grabbed hold of his elbow, leading him out wordlessly. He turned back to watch the scene right before the doors closed, feeling a sense of poignancy welling up in his gut. His son practically looked like a kicked puppy even though Mikoto was the one on the bed. The last time he had looked so distraught was the night he threw him out of the house._

 _"Mother, I'm sorry," Sasuke began. "Sorry for not being there for you, during you chemotherapies and shit. Sorry for being such a brat, I did many wrongful things and made you upset. Sorry for taking so many things for granted and...and for being your son..." The last part came out in a whisper._

 _Afterwards he could only choke on his sobs, not paying attention to his teardrops seeping into the bedsheets. It had been a good 4 years since Sasuke had last cried. He hardly felt this cornered, this vulnerable, but each time he was pushed past his breaking point he would cry, and each time the reason would be his mother. Whenever he looked into her kind eyes he felt like such a failure. Every time they had secret meetings behind his father's back, she would act like she was happy to know that he was doing well. Perhaps she truly was happy for him, but he knew that she missed him as much as he missed her, and that she had cried herself to sleep numerous times just thinking about him, worrying about him, this sorry excuse of a son. Yet, unworthy as he was, his mother never failed to shower him with love, and the more she did, the worse he felt about himself._

 _It was unfair to see his kind, loving mother in this bed. From her eyes, he could tell she was exhausted. She must have suffered greatly, and not being there to return her the strength she had given him before was his greatest regret. Why did Itachi have to keep something like this from him? He wasn't sheltered, not anymore. On pen and paper, his mother was not his responsibility any longer but it was a moral obligation of his own. Sasuke wanted, from the bottom of his heart, to support his ageing mother, go through thick and thin with her, but seeing as he had failed, he thought that his world had just shattered. If he couldn't protect the one he cherished most dearly, then how could he possibly protect...Hinata? Sasuke was a fool, and he knew it._

 _"Don't say things like that!" Mikoto hissed in a condescending tone. She started taking deep albeit shaky breaths to calm herself after her outburst. "I...will never regret having you as my son, Sasuke. Don't...don't ever say that again. Be a good boy, wipe your tears now...don't cry..."_

 _Sasuke sniffed and callously wiped away his tears with the back of his hand._

 _"Sasuke, why are you...acting like I'm on my death bed?" Mikoto managed a soft laugh. "I will make it through..."_

 _"Mother, it's stage 4. It's a fucking stage 4...it must hurt like hell."_

 _"When there's a will, there's a way...I'll get by," she countered, choosing to ignore the profanity. Even though she was clearly tired, a newfound determination emanated from her every pore. He could see the fire in her eyes when she said that. He took this as a good sign and managed a small, genuine smile._

 _"I haven't asked you this yet...but do you like any girl?"_

 _"Uh...why are you..." Sasuke felt his cheeks heat up so he looked down, hiding behind his bangs. Unfortunately, Mikoto reached out and tucked the long strands behind his ear. He could not resist, so he simply stayed still as he willed the colour on his face to subside._

 _"Every mother would want to know," Mikoto pointed out. Her tone was even half-playful. "Who is she?"_

 _"Hinata..." he confessed shyly. "Hyuuga Hinata."_

 _Mikoto's smile faltered and she stared at him for what seemed like an eternity. He sensed that she did not see this coming. A relationship between a Hyuuga and an Uchiha was forbidden, even though it was not explicitly stated in black and white. Both families had been sour with the other since generations ago, much like a mild version of the Montagues and Capulets. The reason behind the enmity was unclear now, but it was almost an inborn nature to stay away from the other party in all aspects, such as in business, friendships, and the most forbidden of all, romance. Sasuke had officially broken all the rules – spoken and unspoken – of the Uchiha by proclaiming his feelings for a Hyuuga._

 _Much to his surprise, Mikoto did not chide him, though he wasn't exactly expecting her to since she always respected his choices. "I'd like to see her..." she said._

 _"Now?" Sasuke asked, bewildered._

 _"No," Mikoto laughed weakly, "she might be busy...some other time..."_

 _Sasuke nodded, but his shoulders sagged. "She doesn't...feel the same way." It came out a little more bitter than he wanted, earning another chuckle from his mother._

 _"Hm...how is she like?"_

 _"She's..." Sasuke hesitated. Kind, filial, obedient, sweet, cute, beautiful, alluring, subtle, nice, selfless, shy, quiet, innocent, and so much more but he eventually settled for "...just like you." In his eyes she was perfect. Sasuke felt a swell of pride when he saw his mother's radiant smile. Smooth move, he praised himself. It must have been years since he had last seen her so genuinely happy._

 _"Silly child. I hope to see her...if she's like what you said." Mikoto was still beaming, even though her cheekbones were aching terribly. In fact, her whole body was aching but she maintained a strong front. Sasuke nodded, making a promise to bring Hinata to his mother someday soon. After finals would be a good idea, for starters. He could already imagine how ecstatic Mikoto would be when she saw the princess. He was greatly appreciative that she managed to overlook Hinata's last name, deciding to judge her as a person alone without harbouring any preconceived ideas. He was certain that she would adore Hinata, after all who could possibly dislike her?_

 _"When are your exams?" Mikoto asked, snapping Sasuke out of his musings._

 _"Next week."_

 _"Mmm...you should go home with Itachi now...study hard, and make us proud."_

 _Make me proud, was what he heard. That was enough, though. With his mother's encouraging words, he would definitely give it his all and study as if his life depended on it. He had this one chance to prove that he was worthy of being called an Uchiha, but more importantly, that he was worthy of being called her son._

 _The ride home with Itachi was silent. Both brothers were pensive, Sasuke in particular. It was difficult to concentrate on anything when the only thing on his mind was his mother. Goodbye, Sasuke, was what she said. She squeezed his bicep reassuringly, though this time the force was much weaker. He recognised her familiar parting words and gestures, and he guessed that it was a subtle attempt to reassure him that they would go back to the old days and meet up secretly every once in a long while. He was sure that it was her intention to comfort him by evoking nostalgia, something that only the two of them would understand. His mother meant well, and he did feel grateful for her thoughtfulness even though she was the one going through all the pain._

 _But why did it hurt so much?_

* * *

The next few days before the exams passed in a blur. Hinata noticed that Sasuke did not attend school at all, and she contemplated visiting him at his house to see if he was doing fine. They were most definitely not good friends now, but she had a hard time trying to pinpoint a correct label to their relationship. Even though she would occasionally feel violated when he entered her personal space, his touches were most of the time innocent, and she convinced herself that she was getting jittery for nothing. Much to her horror, she realised that she missed him, even though it had only been a week. They barely talked nowadays, save for unusual confrontations and last-minute study sessions in the library, so why was she feeling this way?

Hinata walked to the school's backyard, pulling the collars of her shirt together in a futile attempt to protect herself from the chilly wind. The gentle rustling of leaves, together with the brown and maple scenery was a rather therapeutic experience overall. She shuffled towards a tree at the far end, noticing how the leaves overlapped each other in a criss-cross pattern, as if they had been stitched together to form a unique kaleidoscope for the season. She peered up at the tree warily, almost expecting Gaara to be there. Of course he wasn't, though. There were so many trees around, it was unlikely that she would be lucky enough to find him voluntarily. He really did remind her of a wandering phantom at times.

Then, Hinata did the most unpredictable thing a Hyuuga would do. She reached out for the first branch and started ascending. Her hands were trembling slightly, out of fear and anticipation, but she managed to make it to the first thick branch about 2 metres and a half from the ground. When she settled down, she neatly folded her skirt and clamped her knees together, careful not to flash any passers-by as she sat from a high level. She turned her gaze to the sky, noting how the sky seemed a bit clearer now when she was sitting on a tree. Even though the silhouette of the tree's leaves were obscuring part of her view, she felt somewhat protected by the shadows as she gazed dreamily at the fluffy magnolia-white clouds. If she were to exaggerate slightly, she felt like Rapunzel, having a beautiful view of the sky while being locked in the confines of her chambers. Now she knew why Gaara liked to sit on trees. However, she snapped out of her reverie shortly after when she heard a distinctly male voice.

"Hinata-sama."

She yelped, recognising Neji's voice instantly and wobbled, almost losing her balance and falling. Neji's eyes widened and he stepped forward with arms outstretched as a precaution in case she fell. Luckily, she managed to regain her balance (and restore her pride) so she merely looked at him from above. In the past, Neji would have loathed this situation many years ago because Hinata was clearly depicting the difference in their family status by sitting on a higher branch, but now when he looked at her innocent and almost apologetic face, he knew that it was the last thing on her mind. Hinata for one did not care about status and treated everyone like an equal, which was out of the ordinary considering how sheltered she was as the Hyuuga's jewel.

"N-Neji-niisan."

"Hinata-sama," he reiterated with more fortitude, "why are you sitting up there? It is unladylike and quite dangerous. I'll help you down."

"No...it's fine. The view is nice here, do you want to join me?"

Neji rolled his eyes and flipped the loose strands of hair over his shoulder. "That thing won't support both of us anyway." Hinata giggled and eloquently covered her mouth with both hands when he shot her a mild glare. Even though Hinata was extremely obedient, almost to the point of subservience, she could be stubborn as well. She refused to leave for home yet, so Neji sighed dejectedly since he had no other option but to sit cross-legged below the tree. He wasn't intending to leave his cousin behind.

"Finals are tomorrow, it would be a good idea to head home early," Neji said, breaking the silence between them.

"Hai..." Hinata replied, though it was ironic since she wasn't moving from her spot.

"Hinata-sama..." Neji grumbled.

"Ano...I was thinking of visiting Sasuke-kun...but I'm not very sure..."

"Uchiha," he growled under his breath. "I thought you stopped going to his house."

"Hai, I have. It's just that Sasuke-kun hasn't been coming to school, and I'm a little worried. I-It's none of my business but...eto..."

At this, Neji stood up and folded his arms. His teeth were clenched together and Hinata saw the tendons on his forearms being pulled taut. She inadvertently swallowed some saliva, slightly intimidated by her cousin at this juncture. "Hinata-sama, it is not advisable to associate yourself with the likes of an Uchiha. Hiashi-sama has told you about this before, but you refuse to listen. Uchiha Sasuke is not just an Uchiha, he is an ex-offender as well. He will not be a good influence on you, and you cannot afford to damage the Hyuuga name."

Hinata was about to protest but Neji cut her off with the raise of a hand.

"No, listen to me just this once, Hinata-sama. The Hyuuga and Uchiha are not best friends, quite the opposite in fact. You must not tarnish the reputation of the Hyuuga by interacting with an Uchiha, a disowned one at that. I did not stop you before, but since I am aware that your friendship is now on the rocks, perhaps it is not meant to be. Hinata-sama you must let go now, or else I cannot protect you if something happens."

 _How does he know that Sasuke and I... Well, he is Hyuuga Neji after all._

"Neji-niisan!" Hinata shrieked indignantly, balling her hands into fists. Neji did not miss this action and frowned at her hard-headedness. "You c-cannot condemn Sasuke-kun just because he made some mistakes! We all made mistakes before, Neji-niisan, even you...Sasuke-kun may not be the most righteous person, but...but he is a very good friend, he is a good person. Y-You musn't say things like that..."

"Let's go home," Neji said tersely. His laconic reply only served to fuel Hinata's anger, although it did not last. A wave of sympathy for Sasuke washed over her and she hugged herself tightly to shield herself from the strong wind threatening to tip her off the tree branch.

"No...Neji-niisan you must understand," Hinata protested softly.

"There is nothing to understand."

"I refuse to be bound by the rules," she stated firmly, surprising Neji for a second. Where had the timid, stuttering cousin of his gone to? "I do not want to label people because the Hyuugas think it is necessary. Neji-niisan, you should know best the feeling of wanting to be free."

Neji's back was facing Hinata, but she could see his body tense. After what seemed like an eternity, he turned around slowly to face her again. His emotions were well-masked, for she was unable to detect any trace of hurt, even in his eyes. He seemed like a perfect mannequin, stoic and lifeless.

"Let's go home, Hinata-sama," he directed the conversation once again while offering a hand. She still had a slight urge to visit Sasuke but decided against it for today. The mood had been dampened, and she wasn't sure what she was going to do when she saw him there. One thing for sure, she was hoping not to experience a repeat of the last time she entered that apartment. She was still unable to comprehend their relationship, and her defensive rant to her cousin only added to her confusion. Who exactly was Uchiha Sasuke to her? She pursed her lips and pushed the thought away, since she had more important things to focus on such as the imminent examinations scheduled to begin the next day. She gratefully took Neji's hand and he helped her down the tree.

"I refuse to be bound by the rules," Neji repeated thoughtfully and Hinata blushed, regretting her outburst. He turned to her and smiled wistfully, "That can be my motto from now."

"Hai, we can share it." Neji raised a brow and she giggled again.

"I thought yours was 'I will never give up'?"

Hinata flushed at that question, realising that she had forgotten about Naruto's motto in that moment. That had honestly been her motto for the longest time, ever since she heard Naruto say it the first time, but now that she was grown up she realised that she had unconsciously developed her own set of beliefs, something that she held dearer to her heart than someone else's words. Naruto was Naruto, the ball of sunshine that he was, and Hinata was Hinata, simply herself.

"I have two mottos now," she eventually said and smiled sweetly at him, a faint blush dusting her cheeks. Neji would never tell her, but he realised for the first time that his cousin was _really pretty_.

* * *

 **AN:** In case you guys are wondering, Neji is in the same year as Hinata, except that he's in the gifted class. Other people in that class include the jounin in canon (Temari, Kankuro etc) and more. I admit I kinda overlooked this age gap in the beginning so I'm trying to make it up since my school also has such a class haha. Oops!

Why is Shikamaru not in that class then? Hm, simply because he's lazy. He can score full marks for the papers, but he simply does the questions till the total marks add up to an A, then he sleeps through the rest of the exam. Sounds legit? I think so HAHAHA XD

Anyway, for those who are kinda doubting the SasuHina, rest assured it'll end that way. It's very ambiguous now and they really seem like they couldn't possibly be anything more than friends, but I believe that life is unpredictable, as is this story. _(Touch_ _é_ _.)_ I can't promise all of you will be satisfied, but I'll do my best to make it seem realistic and iron out the flaws. If you spot any loopholes make sure to point them out! I'll be happy to correct them for the sake of an improved story. Thanks! :-)


	8. Chapter 8

**AN:** Hello again, to those who are concerned about the plot and character development, all I can say is...trust me on this okay? People behave in certain ways due to circumstances, and by circumstances I mean it extends past individual character and the people they interact with to include the environment and experiences one is going through as well. Everything happens for a reason. I've been studying literature for several years and my teachers always tell me that.

Omg I feel like I'm beginning on an introduction to another one of my (boring-ass) essays so I shall stop here before you fall asleep. Once again I hope you like the chapter :-)

* * *

 _Recap..._

 _Group 1:_

 _Nara Shikamaru_

 _Uchiha Sasuke_

 _Aburame Shino_

 _Haruno Sakura_

 _Hyuuga Hinata_

 _Sabaku no Gaara_

 _Group 2:_

 _Uzumaki Naruto_

 _Akimichi Chouji_

 _Ten Ten_

 _Inuzuka Kiba_

 _Yamanaka Ino_

 _Rock Lee_

* * *

 **Part VIII**

Once again, Hinata's petite body swayed to the left and hit Tenten when the bus jerked over a stone and tilted to right to ascend a steep slope. She muttered an apology which was ignored as Tenten patted her head like an older sister would, smiling kindly. From what she heard, Neji had requested (ordered) Tenten, an old friend of his, to take care of his younger cousin on the trip. Tenten, wanting to get into Neji's good books, didn't hesitate to agree. It wasn't as if Hinata was a little baby that would cry and get on her nerves, quite the contrary in fact. Tenten naturally found being the Hyuuga heiress' guardian a rather nice job prospect, especially when the subject of her free services was such an angel.

"Hinata-chan, do you have motion-sickness or something?" she asked in concern.

"N-No! It's nothing at all, Tenten-san." Hinata pursed her lips and forced a smile.

"Ehh..." Tenten raised a brow suspiciously and proceeded to tease her, "you sure? Your face looks kinda pale. Where did your rosy cheeks go to? Or is Naruto too far away?"

"N-N-Nothing of the s-sort!" Hinata protested though her eyes followed Tenten's to look at said blonde. His laughter echoed through the bus, and it sounded like music to her ears, even though Sakura was hammering the poor sap's head asking him to keep his voice down. Tenten's voice then went unheard as her gaze slowly drifted to the blonde's seating partner and lingered there. His jet black hair was as spiky as she last saw it, but his fringe shielded his face from her view.

Sasuke returned to school only to take the examinations. She had wanted to approach him on several occasions to ask if everything was fine on his side, but she never gathered enough courage to. His cold disposition was back, and even frostier than before. He never looked her way anymore, and when she passed by him in the hallways, he would ignore her completely and brush past her even before she could stutter out a greeting. Even though she was not obliged to find out what was troubling the mysterious guy, locked inside the confines of her heart was a growing worry. It was already the first day of the fieldtrip, yet Sasuke hadn't spoken a word to her. In fact, she wasn't the only one receiving cold treatment. She noticed that he stayed away from everyone – except Naruto. Knowing the impetuous blonde, he would've barged into his home after the second day of his absence from school, demanding to know what had happened.

Hinata sighed, unsure of how to feel. Hopefully this trip would provide some opportunities for her to speak to him. Even though they weren't close, she did care a great deal about Sasuke.

In that instant, the bus slowed down to a halt. The enthusiastic teenagers peered out of the bus and cheered at their arrival. Hinata tilted her head to the left and her mouth inadvertently formed an 'o' shape at the snowy landscape. It was a vast plane of white with traces of footprints on its surface, soft-looking like a sponge, or perhaps a blanket on the pavement which it had completely engulfed.

Iruka stood up from his seat in front and cleared his throat to get the students' attention. It took about a minute for everyone to settle down, much to his displeasure. Nevertheless, he plastered on a smile and began an introduction to the history of the location they were at – to which everyone ignored. Hinata made an honest attempt to listen but after the first two minutes she found herself zoning out. From her angle she could see Naruto's head leaned back on the chair with his mouth wide open and arm swinging restlessly at the aisle. She admired his tenacity since he was sitting right in front of the teacher. At that moment, Iruka reached out and knocked the sleeping boy's forehead when he was finished with his long-winded speech.

"What was that for?!" Naruto winced.

"It's already past six, so there isn't much hiking we can do today." Some of them broke into a hearty laughter when Naruto was ruthlessly ignored. "I'll give you half an hour to unpack your bags, then we'll meet at the reception of the inn. From there we will be brought to the dining room where dinner will be served. There are hot springs here so feel free to have a quick soak before dinner, then change into the kiminos you're provided with. After that we'll walk out for a bit to explore the area. Understood?"

"Hai, Iruka-sensei!" everyone chorused.

"Alright I hope you've already decided who's rooming with who. I'll be taking Group 2, and Kakashi here will take Group 1," Iruka clapped his hands together and beamed while a lazy hand raised itself up to indicate Kakashi's presence.

"No fair, I want Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto whined. Iruka's smile cracked.

Kakashi clamped his book shut and stood up to chide Naruto for his insensitive remark only to hit his head sharply on the roof of the bus. Everyone burst into laughter upon hearing a loud 'thud'. His index finger, previously pointed at Naruto, withered away as he clutched the crown of his head. Iruka rolled his eyes and let out a sigh at this.

"Whatever it is, just suck it up," Kakashi said, hoping to restore some of his dignity. He beckoned the driver to open the doors and he made a quick exit. The moment a cool breeze rushed into the vehicle, Iruka clapped his hands again and gestured towards the door. The students lined up in an orderly manner and followed behind him as he exited the bus.

All the while, Sakura kept herself latched onto Sasuke's arm while Naruto complained and Hinata trailed behind them awkwardly. Everyone had already moved far ahead of them, rushing to find their rooms and leaving the four of them behind. She was a little disappointed that her roommate had to be Sakura, since she was the only other female in Group 1. It wasn't that Sakura was a bad person, no, Hinata liked her very much. She was bubbly and caring in her own way, though she would prefer it if she gave Sasuke some peace. She convinced herself that it was because he seemed moody. Naruto sensed her uneasiness as he turned around and grinned at her. She blushed and gave him a shy smile in return.

What Hinata didn't know was that Sasuke had simply grown tired of shrugging off the pinkette. She was like a leech. Whenever he pushed her away she would only come back, as if she was attracted to him like a magnet. Perhaps that was true, but it didn't mean he had to like it. Besides, he was tired – both physically and mentally. Sakura could do what she liked, as long as it didn't get in his way (too much).

"Sakura-san, we're here," Hinata called out. Said girl spun around and blinked at her, eyes shifting to the door number before looking back at the blunette. She shrugged and released her hold on Sasuke, much to his relief. Coincidentally, Naruto and Sasuke's room was right opposite theirs. They turned to unlock their own door as Hinata did to hers, and two loud 'click's resounded in the desolate hallway when Hinata's key successfully opened the latch. She turned around to call Sakura in but was greeted by a shocking sight. Sakura stood on her tiptoes and attempted to kiss Sasuke on the cheek but he swiftly moved out of range and gripped onto the entrance of his door for support. Naruto missed the whole event and turned around to stare at his two friends with a suspicious expression. The moment they heard the second click from his door, Sasuke immediately pushed it open and dragged Naruto in, slamming the wooden door in Sakura's face.

"I can't believe him," she said. Hinata was completely speechless. A moment later, Sakura snapped out of her thoughts and pulled Hinata into their own room. She started ranting about how Sasuke was treating her even before the quiet girl could lock their door from the inside.

"Hinata, do you understand how I feel?" Sakura threw her hands in the air and collapsed onto the soft bed. Before Hinata could get a sentence in, she continued, "Of course you don't. Naruto never treats you like this. But then again, I don't get him sometimes...Sasuke-kun I mean. One moment he's so passionate, then he becomes so detached, like he doesn't want me around anymore. I'm...I'm kinda hurt when he does things like that..." Sakura turned her head to face Hinata, gauging her reaction. As expected, the shy girl had no idea what to say. Her mouth was opening and closing, distinct evidence of someone trying to formulate an appropriate response to something they couldn't relate to.

"Never mind," Sakura sighed.

"Sorry..."

"It's okay, Hinata."

"I-I just don't know what to say...Sasuke-kun is quite um...unpredictable. I think he's bothered by something now."

At this Sakura sat up quickly, raising a thin brow. "What happened to him?"

"I'm not sure, Sakura-san, but he seems that way...ano I don't really know." Hinata bit her lip and started twirling her fingers together out of habit. Sakura's stare was getting unnerving, like she was silently firing bulletholes through the shy girl to force out an answer she didn't have.

The mood lightened considerably when Sakura started talking about Ino, and Hinata was grateful for Sakura's acute awareness of her uneasiness and her wise decision to change the topic. What she didn't know was that the pinkette was fuming inside. Sasuke was upset? By what? How come she didn't know? Sakura couldn't fully understand why she was feeling this way, but she guessed it was because Hinata seemed to know Sasuke better than she did, which was absurd since she had been friends with the raven-haired guy for much longer compared to Hinata. Also, Hinata was highly observant when it came to people she looked out for, and knowing that Sasuke had somehow snaked his way onto that list made Sakura highly irritated.

 _Then again, there's no way little Hinata-chan would like Sasuke-kun. It's just me..._

* * *

It all passed by in a flash. Hinata briefly remembered being rushed into a traditional Japanese room, kneeling on the ground seiza-style as they waited for food to be served. Noisy chatter was nothing more than background noise to Hinata as she kept her eyes fixed onto a corner of the room. Her mind was a great blank, yet at the same time a mess of thoughts plagued her, all jumbled up without any form of organisation. Her eyes slowly drifted to Sasuke and stayed there for a long time, though he never looked back.

Not once did he look at her since he returned to school, and it was starting to worry her. Hinata was not an attention-seeker, and a year ago she probably wouldn't even have cared. However, things had changed. Many things had changed, and she knew it. She cared about Sasuke, and it upsetted her to see that he was not acknowledging her presence.

Their night "exploration" came to a quick end and now she found herself walking down the hallway aimlessly. Sakura looked at her strangely when she told her she wanted some fresh air, even though it was freezing. It was easily 5 degrees Celsius outside, but she walked to the terrace, pulling the sleeves of her kimono together in a vain attempt to retain some body heat. She was met with bright cerulean eyes and a familiar head of black, spiky hair.

"Hinata! Great that you're here! The sky looks good tonight," Naruto said exuberantly, a cloud of condensed breath leaving his lips. He made wild gestures to invite Hinata over, to which she complied with a little hesitance. She was intending to stand for a short moment to admire the starry sky before leaving to her quarters but Naruto had other plans. With a callous bump, he knocked Hinata down onto the seat right next to his stoic best friend and squeezed together with them in what was supposed to be a spacious loveseat. Hinata 'eeked' when her legs were sandwiched between the two males next to her, but Naruto paid her no attention. Sasuke didn't even glance her way, acting as if she didn't exist. A part of her felt very hurt.

"Do you remember the last time we sat down like this?" Naruto asked.

"H-Hai," Hinata nodded, smiling when she saw his face brighten up.

"Once upon a time, there was a girl whose wish was to touch the stars," he began. She turned to look at the blonde who suddenly became solemn, but his eyes were fixed on the vast sky, as if he was drawing a story out from its depths. "One day, she witnessed a shooting star, so she quickly made a wish, saying 'I wish I could touch a star'. Nothing happened. The girl opened her eyes and looked around, waiting for something to happen, for a star to drop, but nothing happened. She started crying, because she thought her mother had lied to her. She believed her, thinking that any wish would come true as long as she wished upon a shooting star."

He paused for a long time, but a moment later he leaned back onto the chair and draped his arm behind Hinata on the bench. She blushed at this but was too shy to move – towards or away, she wasn't sure. She watched him close his eyes, mesmerized by the sheer tranquility this ruggard boy could exude when he was calm. After a moment, his lips parted and he continued from where he stopped.

"Well, the next day she woke up with wings. She rejoiced, and waited till it was night. The moment the sky cleared, she spread her wings and flew past many stars, wanting to touch just one of them, but she was afraid."

"Did she?" Hinata couldn't help but inquire.

"Yeah, she did. It was difficult, since the winds were strong, but she managed to. She just stretched out like that," he imitated a person reaching out as far as they could, grasping an invisible star out of thin air, "then she caught one star, and held it in the palm of her hands. It was a really...wonderful feeling."

"But she died right after," Sasuke suddenly spoke. Hinata spun around to look him in the eye for the first time in a week, completely bewildered that he had chosen this time to speak.

"W-Why?" Hinata stammered, feeling her heart lurch at that tragic statement.

"She got her wish, so her wings vanished and she fell," he replied indifferently.

"Sasuke! That's so gloomy like you, Hinata wouldn't like that ending."

"But it's realistic. There's no reason in living once you achieve your dream."

"Well...that's not the important part. What's important is that the girl had her wish granted!"

"You could've cooked up a better story than that. Dobe."

Hinata blinked and turned to look at Naruto again. He smiled sheepishly and scratched the back of his head. Hinata realised belatedly that the whole story was fake. She honestly thought that this was another one of the myths that he had told her like the last time. She sighed helplessly, letting a small smile grace her features. Naruto had probably noticed a sustained tension between his two friends, and decided to make up a story on the spot to direct attention, and it seemed that he had succeeded to a certain extent. The boy was more perceptive than he let on.

"Oops, I need to pee now, heheh! I'll go back to the room for a while, see ya Hinata!" He bounced up from his seat and waved dramatically, a cheesy grin painted on his boyish features. Before Hinata looked away, she noticed an inconspicuous wink as the blonde turned around. It was then she realised that she was trapped with Sasuke at the terrace, their outer thighs rubbing against each other's from the hip to the knee as she fidgeted. It was brought to her attention that Sasuke didn't move to make space even though he could afford to, and despite her embarassment, she thought that it would be rude if she suddenly shifted to the left. But then again...

Hinata snapped out of her thoughts when she felt two strong arms wrap around her possessively, one brushing down her jaw to her neck, collarbone, and settling itself right above the swell of her chest, while the other wound itself tightly around her waist. His nose was buried in the crook of her neck as he inhaled her scent deeply. All of a sudden, it wasn't cold anymore. In fact, it was getting hot, so Hinata's instinct was to push the teenager away to have some space to breath. Her hands made their way to his shoulders, ready to shove him aside but his next words had her frozen to the spot.

"Don't...don't push me away...just this once, I promise..."

It came out as a quiet whisper, but due to their close proximity, Hinata managed to pick out his words. Her fingers relaxed and simply rested on his shoulders, but her upper body remained tense. After all, his fingers were already brushing the top of her breasts, and if it went any lower it would go where she didn't want it to go. They remained in this position for a good long moment, until Hinata felt something hot touch her neck. She gasped when she looked down and saw transparent droplets trickling down her collarbone briefly before it was soaked up by the collar of her kimono.

Her ears picked up a loud 'thud' somewhere far away so she whipped her head around, stupefied when she saw Kiba. His mouth was covered by Shino, whose expression did not give off any trace of his feelings, especially with the sunglasses that he constantly hid behind. The Aburame hastily led Kiba back indoors, while Hinata did nothing but stare at Kiba's bulging eyes. They looked like they were about to pop out of their sockets. Was it such an astonishing sight to see the Uchiha cradled in the arms of shy little Hinata? Every bit of it was, she thought. If she were Kiba, she would return home to get her eyes checked. On a more serious note, she knew that Kiba would demand to have a "talk" with her soon. However, at this point of time she had more important matters to focus on, such as the broken male currently embracing her for a sense of comfort, or perhaps it was support.

The tears did not stop, and it was starting to scare her. The moment it started, it kept flowing like an endless river, she could already see the stain on her kimono spreading out. That was the least of her worries, though. Careful to not scare the vulnerable figure, she moved her cold fingers up his neck, gently touching his ears and rubbing it briefly for a bit of heat. Gulping, she daringly moved her thumb to his cheek and wiped away a falling tear from beneath his eyelashes.

"S-Sasuke-kun, w-what's wrong? You can talk to me..." Hinata attempted to soothe the pitiful teenager with some reassurance. Her voice was laced with gentleness.

"Don't go...Hinata..." She blushed heavily at that, but her fingers continued to stroke his earlobe, running over the black stud gingerly. In the next instant, her fingers were threading through his hair, lightly caressing the back of his skull repeatedly in a vertical motion. "Don't ever leave me."

"I-I won't," Hinata attempted to sound optimistic, but the worry was evident in her voice. "Ne, everything will be fine in the end."

"She died."

"But she d-died happy."

Sasuke didn't respond to that, but the tears stopped flowing after a while. They remained still for a long moment, until Hinata decided it was time to go. She tilted her body towards him, about to push him away gently to look into his eyes, but he collapsed right onto her like a heavy sack of potatoes. She ended up flat on the bench with Sasuke lying snuggly above her, caging her in with his strong arms. Her cheeks were so hot now they could almost catch fire in the cold winter, since his face rested right above her bosom. She was sure he could feel her racing heartbeat, but as to how he could sleep through it she couldn't fathom.

"Sasuke-kun..?"

No response. He just kept on sleeping, and Hinata guessed that he probably did it on purpose, though the thought itself was absurd. Sasuke was exhausted after crying his tearducts dry, and he deserved his rest but...did she really have to be his pillow? She let out a huff and turned her head towards the sky, admiring the way the stars reflected moonlight to appear like diamonds. It was beautiful and – dare she say it – romantic, and glancing down at her sleeping companion, she could only blush further. Why did she always end up in this kind of situations?

Footsteps. She heard footsteps. Her face brightened and she gathered enough strength to push herself up slightly to look at the person who entered the terrace, but not enough to wake Sasuke up. Her relief turned to pure horror when she saw Naruto's face.

 _Oh no, he'll misunderstand! What do I do now? Naruto-kun will never look my way again!_

 _...not that he ever did._ Her subconscious pointed that out before she could stop it.

"N-Naruto-kun, I-"

"Shhh, don't wake the sleeping beauty up," he teased and shot her another wink.

"N-N-No you have m-misunderstood! I...please help him up..."

"Wow I can't believe this, I mean, I just went to pee and laze around for a bit then I come out here again and woah! Things escalated pretty quickly huh?"

"Naruto-kun..." Hinata was starting to sound aggravated, and Naruto picked up on this.

"Yes, yes, I'll help." He started cracking his knuckles, and Hinata's eyes widened. "The teme's a pretty heavy sleeper, so..." No, she was not going to let Naruto land a blow on Sasuke right in front of her, not when he was so vulnerable. Sure, it was common to see them fight, but she knew that Sasuke wouldn't appreciate a rough waking this time. He needed his rest.

"Don't hit him," Hinata hissed, much to Naruto's surprise. He quirked a brow but his surprised expression slowly dissolved into a grinning one. Hinata guessed that he had gotten the wrong idea but she decided against correcting him this time. "He's...depressed, Naruto-kun. We should let him sleep...ano...but not on me..." she whispered, and Naruto had to choke back a laugh.

Hinata slowly lifted one of Sasuke's arms, and Naruto helped her to peel his body off hers. She heaved a loud sigh of relief when she finally felt the cool air again and turned around to thank the blonde, only to gasp in shock at the sight of Sasuke resting his head on Naruto's shoulder. Naruto leaned back comfortably on the bench and crossed his legs, casually draping an arm behind Sasuke.

"Naruto-kun, do you need help taking Sasuke-kun back to the room?"

"Nah, we're good here. You should go back though, I bet Sakura-chan would be worried if you stayed out too long."

Hinata gasped again, covering her mouth with a hand. "I-It's so cold here! I'll help-"

"No, it's fine. I'll stay out here with the teme. Thanks, Hinata." Naruto brushed her off easily and shot her a reassuring grin. He looked ridiculous with his reddening nose though he was still cute, earning a blush from the blunette. Her eyes drifted to Sasuke, the high and mighty Uchiha, resting against his best-friend-cum-rival's shoulder like an innocent child. She brought a hand to her heart where she felt it thump hard against her ribcage, completely entranced by the scene before her.

Even when she made her way back into her room and was greeted by a worried Sakura, she could not shake that image out of her mind. All night long, she thought about it, even as she lay down on her bed and stared up at the starry sky through the small window. She knew that Naruto was watching the same sky, but more importantly, she knew that Sasuke was with him. Their friendship – no, brotherhood – was admirable, and Hinata wondered if she would ever meet anyone willing to sacrifice this much for her. She frowned. _Probably not._

Sakura was about to switch off the lights but Hinata quickly jumped out of bed, startling her.

"Hinata?"

"S-Sorry," she apologised sincerely as she rushed to the cloak hanger and grabbed her coat, "I'll be back soon."

"Hinata?! Where are you going?" Sakura latched onto Hinata's wrist. The grip was tight, but not enough to hurt. "Is everything alright? Don't scare me..."

"H-Hai, Sakura-san. I'll be back in just a minute." She raised one finger and smiled as warmly as she could to convince her roommate. The pinkette slowly released her grip, and Hinata dashed out through the door even before she could tell her to take care.

She ran all the way back to the terrace, fingers clutching tightly onto her white coat. By the time she reached, she was panting from the sudden exertion, but she shivered violently when a particularly cold breeze blew past. It just dawned on her that she was in her nightgown. It was a long-sleeved dress that stopped above her knees made of cotton, which was not enough to keep her warm in this weather. It seemed to have gotten colder, yet she looked to the side and noticed two figures leaning on each other even after all this while. Hinata bit her lip and advanced towards the pair, touching Naruto's clenched hand. It was disturbingly cold. The blonde's eyes immediately snapped open.

"Hinata? I thought..." His eyes were dazed. The sleepy male was still probably trying to make out where was right and left.

"Naruto-kun, a-are you sure you don't want to go back?"

"Yeah...I've never slept out in the cold before, but there's a first for everything eh?" He even chuckled. Hinata felt her heart clench painfully. She unfolded her coat and placed it on Naruto and Sasuke's shoulders. It stayed in place, much to her relief. There was no way she could sleep knowing that two of her friends were out bracing the cold.

"Hinata you must be freezing."

"N-N-No I-I'm f-fine..." she stammered, trying to control her shivering. She could even hear the sound of her own teeth clattering.

Naruto lifted a hand to pull up the apparel to his nose. Hinata glanced at the sleeping Sasuke and wondered how he could sleep through the biting cold. She was sure the spiky ends of his hair would start collecting snowflakes soon. Without a second thought, she leaned forward and pulled up the end of her coat to cover his nose as well. Her fingers brushed against his cheek accidentally and she quickly pulled back in shock. Naruto laughed softly at her antics and she felt her cheeks heating up.

"T-Take c-care...Naruto-kun," Hinata whispered. Naruto opened his mouth to reply but Hinata had already left. She bolted into the inn and back to her room.

"You're the best Hinata..." Naruto said aloud, even though no one was there to hear it.

Sakura was waiting on her bed using her phone when Hinata burst through the door. They talked briefly, but soon gave in to their fatigue. Sakura looked back to ensure that Hinata was tucked into bed before switching off the lights this time.

"Nights, Hinata."

"G-Goodnight, Sakura-san."

Hinata took a moment to calm her nerves from her previous sprint. Her mind drifted back to the day's activities, replaying the memory with Sasuke at the terrace more times than necessary. One thing she was certain of now was that Sasuke was indeed troubled. She had no right to pry, but she felt her heart ache for him. This was not exclusive to Sasuke, since she knew she would also break if it was anyone else. However, she also acknowledged her exhausion and stifled a yawn. Everything else could wait for tomorrow.

Right before her eyes slid shut, she laced her fingers together and pressed them to her beating heart. There was no shooting star but she made a wish anyway. She uttered the words silently, although it seemed like more of a prayer.

 _I wish Sasuke-kun would be okay._

* * *

 **AN:** I think for the next chapter there'll be more SasuHina fluff, but I'm not so sure yet. Any ideas? I need some inspiration haha. Thanks again!

On another note, I've written a new oneshot for SasuHina. Okay admittedly there isn't much fluff in that one, but yeah it's...strange? I'm not good with descriptions alright. Go check it out in your free time! Thank you :-)


	9. Chapter 9

**AN:** Hey everyone, thanks for your patience in waiting for this chapter. I understand that I took a pretty long time, but I guess I just didn't have much inspiration nor the drive to sit down and write all these. I was actually busying myself with a piece that I would be submitting for a writing competition, so I apologise once again for the pretty long wait.

Nevertheless, I hope you like this chapter. I'm personally quite fond of it, since it has a balance of angst and fluff. :-)

* * *

 **Part IX**

The moment Hinata opened the shoji doors, a blur of yellow and orange immediately appeared in her vision and she found herself in the arms of none other than her crush. "Hinataaaaaa! I've been waiting for you all morning!" he whined playfully as he rubbed his cheek against hers affectionately, not registering signs of her discomfort. Kiba jumped up from his seat on the floor and tugged on Naruto's shoulder roughly. They started bickering childishly. Sakura stood behind Hinata and pushed the door a little wider to reveal another person.

"Sasuke-kun!" she gasped, "Good morning!" She tilted her head to the side and waved cheerily, though he did not even spare her a glance.

"Hinata," he said instead. All of a sudden, the whole room went silent. Hinata hesitantly shifted her eyes to Sasuke and smiled awkwardly, trying desperately to erase the feeling of his arms around her.

"G-Good mor-"

"Thanks," he cut her off with a soft voice. His outstretched arm held onto the white coat that she had lent him last night and she blushed at the small gesture. Truth to be told, she wished that Naruto would be the one to return it to her since she didn't want to face him so soon. Nevertheless, she whispered a barely audible "you're welcome" and took the apparel from him. Sakura balled her hands into fists and glared between her two friends, realising that she had missed out on something that happened last night. She gripped onto Hinata's elbow, albeit painfully, about to ask her to move in when she felt a hard shove from behind. She doubled over and whipped her head around to lash out at the rude person only to end up blinking at teal green eyes.

"You were in the way," Gaara stated simply and slithered his way past her, not giving her a second glance. Hinata rubbed her elbow gently and followed Sakura to their seats after hanging her coat on the hanger. The rest of the group started telling jokes amongst themselves to ease the tension that had risen to excessively high levels after Gaara's entrance. Sakura continued to glare icily at the redhead throughout breakfast, but he paid her no attention. He was used to people treating him like some disease anyway.

"Gaara-san why aren't you eating anymore?" Hinata asked. Gaara looked up this time and tried to crop the pinkette out of his vision as he focused on the shy blunette.

"I'm not hungry," he replied monotonously.

"T-That's not good...breakfast is important, you should eat a bit more."

"Hn. It's fine." With that curt remark, he stood up and left the room abruptly. No one seemed to pay him any attention, except Hinata and Sakura. Hinata sighed in disappointment, realising that it was futile to coax Gaara into doing anything he didn't want to do. She was only worrying for a friend's health, especially when the rigorous hike up the snow-capped mountains today would be physically challenging. She heard Sasuke excuse himself shortly after, but all she did was stare at his back until the shoji doors slid shut. There was a weird churning feeling in her gut, but she did not know why. Suddenly her bowl of miso soup seemed a tad less appetising.

Meanwhile, Sasuke headed to the gents. Turning round the corner, he met Gaara who looked up to acknowledge him. Sasuke's eyes never left his rival's, even as he unzipped his pants and stopped at the urinal next to the redhead's. For a long moment both males remained silent. Gaara zipped up his pants first and walked past Sasuke to get to the sink but stopped in his tracks when he heard his name.

"Sabaku no Gaara."

He turned around to see the smug Uchiha zip up his pants loudly. His non-existent brows would have been raised seeing how Sasuke was sizing him up from head to toe. There was a derisive remark hanging at the tip of his tongue but he held back, waiting for the other to strike first.

"Why did you come to this school?"

That was it? Gaara sniggered, watching in amusement as Sasuke's face twitched in mild anger. "Nothing you need to know, Uchiha."

"How many casualties were there under your hand?" Sasuke had heard of the Sabaku's reputation of getting into plentiful fights. Not only that, but he had a bad image and attitude to boot. No teacher had ever taken a liking to him, and none of the other students dared to go near him after hearing the rumours. If Sasuke was about to ask for a fight, then at least he had to gauge his opponent's strength before making a decision.

"I didn't count, probably over thirty _different_ people. You asking for a challenge?" he smirked. Sasuke was not amused. Even though he was an expert in karate, he knew the redhead was not one to be trifled with. Considering his small stature and the number of people he managed to beat up, he must be a force to be reckoned with. Deep inside, he knew that someday both of them would clash, and he would wait earnestly for that day to arrive.

"Try me." Gaara knew that it was merely provocative, and he was not about to attack the Uchiha in the toilet of all places. He shook his head while snickering once more and turned to leave.

"I don't give a fuck about what you do, but stay away from Hinata." He stopped in his tracks, trying to digest the Uchiha's words. Gaara turned around once more and saw the look in Sasuke's eyes. He was dead serious this time, he could tell from the fire in his eyes. To think that the Uchiha could get so protective even when there was nothing to protect her from. Gaara knew that he was a dangerous creature but Hinata he would spare, he was sure of it. Nonetheless, watching the almighty Uchiha act as some overprotective boyfriend – without the title – was a comedy.

Sasuke did not expect Gaara to laugh and pat him on the shoulder. He shrugged off the offending hand distastefully, glaring hard into turquoise irises. He refused to admit that the low husky laugh shocked him for a moment. The redhead did not falter despite the harsh rejection and spun around to rinse his hands under the automatic tap and made a swift exit, not bothering to throw him one last glance. Instead of feeling rage bubble from his core, Sasuke felt a wave of disgust sweep over him.

 _That fucker didn't wash his hands before touching me..._

* * *

The hike was rather uneventful, mainly due to the blanket of fatigue that wrapped around everyone. Kakashi was nonchalantly reading his adult novel from time to time, ignoring the tired expressions of his students. Iruka started off the day brightly by telling jokes and motivating stories as the group climbed up the steep slope, but soon ran out breath halfway. The fact that no one had really been listening sunk in when nobody responded to his joke, resulting in him chortling unnaturally between breaths. All in all it was a tiring day.

It was past eight when everyone decided to settle down on a piece of flat land. Half of the boys painstakingly gathered firewood to start a campfire, while the remaining half went off to help the girls build the tents. Hinata noticed that Sakura had been cold to her throughout the whole day and felt a little hurt by this. She guessed that Sakura must have been angered by being kept in the dark regarding the previous night's events, but she reminded herself that there wasn't a reason to tell anyone. Sasuke needed his privacy, and the worst thing to do was to alert Sakura who would rush out and flood him with words of comfort that he would rather not hear. For some strange reason she didn't trust Sasuke with Sakura, but she pushed that thought out of her mind, choosing to focus on holding the tent in place as Kiba hammered the metallic sticks into the snow.

"Say, Hinata, care to explain what happened last night?" Hinata gulped as the brunette finally popped the question she was hoping all day that he would forget.

"E-Eh? W-What happened last night?"

"Nice try," Kiba smirked, to which Hinata sighed. "Answer the question Hina. I was sure I saw what I did."

"E-Eto..." her voice lowered to a whisper. "I was trying to comfort Sasuke-kun...p-please don't ask him anything about it."

Kiba jumped up from his crouching position and hovered over her with both arms crossed. Inky orbs stared deep into her soul and she took a step back, waving her hands in the air frantically in a vain attempt to dismiss Kiba's follow-up question that was bound to put her in a spot. When he opened his mouth she knew it was coming and bit her lip.

"Did you hug him first?"

Hinata thought this one through carefully. If she said that she had indeed initiated the contact, then her pride would definitely suffer a blow. Kiba would give her _that_ look, the disapproving one that she hated seeing on her father's face, as well as on Neji's. Alternatively she could speak the truth, but that might send Kiba into a fit of anger. He might run up to Sasuke and attack him, knowing how irrational he could be when he was pissed off. The brotherly vibe he was giving off reinforced that assumption, so she decided to go with the former.

"Yes...b-but! But he was very sad...I would do it for you too." Kiba scowled with a loud huff, averting his eyes. Hinata let out a giggle which was muffled by her sleeve when she brought a dainty hand up to hide her smile.

"I wonder what he's so moody about, that Uchiha."

"Ano...I don't know, Kiba-kun," she replied honestly.

Kiba leaned forward and exhaled in her face, startling her as his frosted breath condensed in the cold air to resemble a puff of smoke. With that, he beckoned for her to follow him to the next tent. She followed him obediently, avoiding Sakura's gaze when she walked past. They worked quietly to pitch two more tents, and soon enough everyone was settled down in a disjointed circle around the campfire.

"Alright everyone, let's have a storytelling session like the good ol' days yeah?" Iruka chirped, raising up his roasted skillet that was held securely by a long, wooden stick. "Tell us something memorable about this year. Make it interesting! Let's start with you Gaara." The redhead didn't look up even when his sensei put an arm around his shoulder good-heartedly. He really didn't feel like speaking, but everyone's eyes were on him. He cleared his throat and scanned the group till his eyes landed on Hinata. She smiled sweetly to encourage him.

"I met someone interesting," he muttered. It was loud enough for the whole group to hear, and even Kakashi managed to peel his eyes away from his book for a moment to look at him. Iruka asked him to elaborate, and he leaned back, placing his hands on the log on both sides of his lap. "This person...was nice to me. She took me out to get a drink, something only my siblings ever did, even though they hardly do anymore. It felt...good."

"Wait, by 'drink' you don't mean alcohol do you, Gaara?" Iruka asked suspiciously. Gaara corrected him with the shake of his head while pushing his hand away none too gently. Sasuke caught the bastard staring at Hinata when he said that, which only fuelled his anger. He smirked. If that was how he wanted to play it, then he would beat him at his own game when the right time came.

"Alright Gaara, choose one person."

"Uzumaki Naruto," he said smoothly. Sasuke cocked a brow at this, pondering about the rather unexpected choice. Naruto, who was currently roasting a piece of meat _in_ the fire beamed and racked his brains for a memorable event.

"Ehhh...I found out that Sasuke-teme has this weird fetish for maid costumes."

Sasuke reeled back so violently he nearly toppled over the log. The whole group burst into laughter as he tried to recollect himself. That statement was not true to any sense of the word, but he couldn't help but blush at the thought of people thinking it was. He growled at Naruto, but the blonde simply brushed it off and continued his story.

"During the school summer festival, I saw him talking to someone wearing a maid costume. It was kinda lacy with ribbons and some other stuff, and I think she wore bunny ears." Naruto revelled in the attention that he was getting and decided to dramatise the story at his best friend's expense. "She tried to pass him a flyer, but he quickly ran off without taking it. I swore he was blushing so hard. HA! Can you imagine the teme? It was a sight to behold! He even got so turned on he had to run to the nearest toilet-"

"Naruto." A low, gravelly voice whispered in his ear. He froze upon feeling a hand grip onto his right ear, pulling him to face his livid best friend. "Shut. The. Fuck. Up," Sasuke mouthed and _smiled_. Naruto felt goosebumps rise on his skin when he saw that smile. It reminded him of some guy in another class called Sai who kept smiling like a creep, except that Sasuke's smile resembled Chucky a bit more – which was bad. The crowd kept laughing except for Gaara who watched the scene with mild amusement, and Hinata whose face was as red as a tomato. She remembered the exact scene since she was the dressed-up maid who tried to pass Sasuke a flyer. No one noticed that she had bent down to cover her face in shame.

Sasuke tugged on Naruto's sleeve as if he were a puppet, lifting his arm above the fire to reveal a completely burnt piece of meat. Every corner of it was burnt to a crisp, earning another round of laughter from the group. Naruto sighed sheepishly and nibbled on the revolting piece of denatured protein with a sour expression. He retreated to the same log as Sasuke and chose him as the next person to tell a story.

"I had my first kiss this year." There was a long pause, until he was bombarded with questions from every corner. Even the teachers were curious about his answer, though he refused to reveal the lucky person. Sakura smiled inwardly, assuming that she was the one he was referring to. However, she noticed him staring at Hinata, who currently had her head buried in her hands for some unknown reason. This was outrageous. She didn't realise she was snarling until Ino elbowed her to ask if she was alright. She plastered on a fake smile and watched on apathetically.

"Lie lie! It's a lie!" Naruto shouted. "His first kiss was with me in elementary school!" A pregnant pause. No one knew what to say about that until Kiba doubled over in laughter. Gaara facepalmed himself and even Sakura cracked a smile at the memory.

"That wasn't a kiss!" Sasuke denied sharply.

"It was an accident but we really did kiss!" Naruto insisted. Sasuke started choking the life out of him by wringing his fingers around his neck, and that was how the rest of the dinner went – with playful bantering, occasional vulgarities and roars of laughter from the spectators. Most of the group wandered off into the near distance, leaving only a small handful of people behind to roast the marshmallows, namely the quieter ones.

"Gaara-san, would you like some?" Hinata asked as she walked towards the redhead, holding out a stick of marshmallows that had been skilfully roasted. He eyed her for several seconds and nodded his thanks as he took the stick from her. He noticed that she smiled a little brighter at this gesture. He was never too fond of sweet foods, but the gooey substance melted in his mouth, leaving a sweet aftertaste. It was roasted to perfection and he inwardly praised Hinata for it.

Sasuke frowned when he watched their exchange, but he quickly wiped his scowl away when Hinata approached him with another stick. He gestured for her to sit next to him, which she accepted albeit with second thoughts. Much to her surprise, he declined her offer to have the marshmallows. He really didn't like sweets. Sasuke watched as she shyly brought the tip of the stick to her mouth, biting onto the first marshmallow daintly and pulling it out from the stick. His mind wandered off into the dark side for a second but he forcefully shoved those perverted thoughts aside before she witnessed the shameful effect she had on him.

When she lowered the stick, he leaned forward and bit onto the marshmallow she currently held between her teeth, their noses brushing in the process. Hinata froze to the spot, realising only a good ten seconds later that Sasuke had just eaten half of the marshmallow from her mouth.

 _It still doesn't taste that good, but whatever..._ he thought to himself.

"You should close your mouth," he mumbled as he chewed on her half of the treat.

She blushed and quickly covered her mouth, chewing slowly on the gooey dessert. "W-W-Why...I-I thought you d-didn't want any?"

"I changed my mind." She gaped at the raven-haired male who simply shrugged. Unbeknownst to her, he was having a staredown with Gaara in the distance. He made sure to make an explicit move for the guy to know that Hinata was off-limits, and he was certain that he had caught on. Gaara, however, didn't seem like one who would abide by the code, so he decided to keep his eyes on him anyway. On the other hand, Gaara merely narrowed his eyes. He was up to any challenge, but one as ridiculous as this made him reconsider his options. After all, he had no intention of earning a role in some clichéd romance drama.

* * *

It was nightfall. The stars twinkled overhead brilliantly, presenting only a fraction of the vast universe's beauty. Sakura had to sleep next to Hinata since they were the only two girls in the group, but she found herself rolling about restlessly. Her limbs were aching from the rigorous exercise, but her eyes were still wide open, refusing to allow her a peaceful sleep. She grunted and pulled down the zipper of the tent, allowing a chilly breeze to enter. She grabbed her coat and exited through the flaps. She turned arond to glance at her sleeping partner who was sleeping vulnerably like a baby. Her long indigo hair fanned out behind her back as she curled into a fetus position facing her, breathing softly over a small fist next to her head. She sighed and pulled the zipper up. Even though she was still annoyed with her friend, she didn't exactly want her to freeze to death or suffer frostbites in her sleep.

She made her way out to the slope and smiled when she spotted a familiar figure. "Sasuke-kun!" she called out. He shifted slightly to regard her before turning back to face the sky. Sakura sat herself next to him and suppressed a squeal. Even his side profile looked so stunning.

"Is there something you want?" he asked.

"No, not really. I just couldn't sleep. You?"

"Hn, same." Sasuke couldn't believe he was having a decent conversation with his number one fangirl. In retrospect, Ino only seemed to be in the game for show. She did like to tease and seduce him occasionally, but her crush on him seemed to have ebbed away. He was glad that it had, but there was no hope for the girl sitting next to him. In terms of personality she was practically a second Naruto except with better grades. On the brighter side, she seemed a bit tamer after a busy day. Perhaps he didn't have to move to another place after all.

"Sasuke-kun...you know, you were my first kiss too."

He nearly earned himself a backlash when he whipped his head towards her so quickly. Sakura fiddled with her fingers, feeling rather shy when her crush looked at her so intensely. He shifted his posture to sit upright this time and cleared his throat.

"Sakura..." She shot him the biggest smile she could give. Her name sounded terribly nice when he said it.

"I'm sorry."

Like an elastic band, the ends of her mouth snapped back together in an instant. "What do you mean by that?"

"It wasn't my intention to kiss you the last time. It was a mistake on my part, and I think that as an old friend you deserve to know. I played you. Sorry."

Sakura watched him stand up to leave but she tugged onto his hand. He stumbled back slightly but did not flinch at her crestfallen expression. He watched as tears slowly trickled down her rosy cheeks, burning a trail down to her chin. Sasuke wiped away a tear with the back of his hand, but Sakura caught onto his wrist again, holding it in a death grip.

"Do I even mean anything to you?" she blurted out while choking between sobs. She brought her other hand to her heart, feeling it beat rapidly much like a hummingbird.

"Yes," he replied honestly. Sakura's head jerked up at this, but was disappointed when she met his cold, blank stare, completely bereft of love or anything close to it. "You're a friend to me. Nothing more, nothing less."

"But Sasuke-kun-"

"I don't want to hear it anymore," he cut her off harshly. "I'll be honest with you, Sakura. I like someone else, and I don't want to string you along. You should find someone else who can return your feelings."

"Who is she?" Sakura could not hide the bitterness in her tone. "Is it Hinata?"

Sasuke barely managed to conceal a flinch. Knowing Sakura, she could be ruthless if she held a grudge against anyone which was the last thing he wanted happening to Hinata. "No," he replied smoothly without a hint of faltering. Sakura let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding, and Sasuke frowned slightly. He wanted to get away now.

"I thought...well, it's okay. I won't give up, Sasuke-kun. Whatever she has that I don't, I'm sure I'll be able to change for you." Sakura gave him a reassuring smile only to break down when she saw his indifference. He almost looked like he pitied her, as if he was looking down at her for wanting to go to such lengths for him to change his mind.

"You don't have to change. I'll never love you."

"Why?" she hissed. "Am I not pretty enough? Do you find me ugly? I can get surgery to fix that! Or am I too fat? Or do you think I'm bad-tempered? Anything can be changed if a person really wants to! Just tell me, Sasuke-kun!"

"You know what I really hate, Sakura?" Sasuke took a step towards her and loomed over her form threateningly, emitting a frosty vibe that put the weather to shame. "I hate people who do things just to please others, people who become someone else just for another person. I absolutely hate people who are fake. If you want to go down that road then fine, just don't make me be there to see it." They stared at each other for a few more seconds before Sasuke broke it off and left.

"But I...I really love you, Sasuke-kun..." Sakura whispered in a hushed tone. Her tears were now dry, sticking onto her cheeks rather uncomfortably. She fell into a kneeling position and scraped at the snow, hating everything at the moment. It would have been acceptable if Sasuke had just told her what he wanted from a girl and she would willingly give it to him on a silver platter. She would change any part of herself if it meant that she could receive his love, but why did he have to be so cold?

"You're pathetic."

Sakura heard a voice from somewhere and she immediately looked up, scanning her surroundings like a hawk. Suddenly, she saw a movement from one of the trees, and a figure emerged from the shadows. To her horror, she came face to face with none other than her eccentric classmate, Gaara.

"How much did you hear?" she demanded, getting to her feet and dusting the snow from her knees.

"Enough to know that you're pathetic," he replied. His tone was rather monotonous, but Sakura could not help but think that he was taunting her. She leaped forward and raised a fist, only to have him dodge and slap her hard. She yelped in pain and fell backwards, landing on her rear. The impact was rather low since the thick layer of snow managed to cushion the blow.

She held up a trembling hand to her cheek where Gaara had slapped her, staring at him with wide eyes. It took a moment to register that the male in front of her had no qualms about hitting a female, and she felt a wave of fear surge through her veins at this.

"I know who the Uchiha is after." Gaara looked down at Sakura whimpering like a kicked puppy just from one slap. He had already halved the usual force he used to attack his enemy, and unclenched his fist to make it less painful, yet this troublesome girl had the nerve to act like he had just beaten her into a pulp, as if he was a heartless monster. She really did seem pathetic.

"W-Who?" Sakura asked when he did not elaborate.

"Hyuuga Hinata is a good person." Sakura's eyes widened, realising that Sasuke had lied to her. "Forget the surgeries and therapies. You'll never be as good as her."

"Are you trying to say I'm a bad person?" she hissed, venom lacing her every word. Gaara remained unfazed, folding his arms.

"No, but if you'll start becoming a better person then I'll say yes. I don't know what Uchiha sees in Hyuuga-san, but I'm more puzzled about what Uzumaki sees in you."

Gaara simply left her to cry. There was no remorse even though he was the obvious cause of her tears. If she couldn't handle the harsh truth then the problem didn't lie with him.

"What...what does she have that I don't?" Sakura whispered, pounding her fists on the snow, much like a lost child. Gaara remained silent for a while until Sakura looked up and saw that he hadn't left.

"I suggest you don't plan anything towards Hyuuga-san. You won't want to go up against me, not to mention Uchiha."

"Even _you_ like her?!" Sakura screeched in disbelief.

Gaara merely snorted and turned his back to her. "Don't be ridiculous," he said before disappearing into the shadows once again. Sakura could not express how conflicted she was feeling at the moment. There had been too many surprises for her all in one night, and she wasn't sure if she could sleep now.

She made her way back to her tent sulkily, unsure if she was ready to face Hinata after Gaara's revelation. She took a deep breath and opened the flaps, only to meet white pearlescent eyes. Hinata pulled Sakura in and hugged her shoulders, mumbling something about being worried since she woke up to her missing. The pinkette sighed, feeling all the anger leave her in that instant, only to be replaced with emptiness. Sakura was in despair. There was no way she could ever hate Hinata, even if she wanted to.

Why did she have to be so unfortunate?

* * *

 **AN:** Guys, note that there will be zero GaaSaku in this fic. I absolutely cannot stand these two together, but I thought some interaction would be necessary anyway. If you ship them then oops, sorry to disappoint haha.

Once again, do leave me a review if you have plot suggestions or anything else you wanna voice out. Some of you are pretty cute hahaha :-)

Anyway this is really random, but does anyone listen to BIGBANG or BTS here? I've been going craycray over BTS recently, and honestly I Need U inspired me for the previous chapter. The lyrics man, the feels T.T But if I were to choose an anthem for this fic it would be Boy in Luv by BTS. HAHAHA SASUKE'S PLIGHT IN PERFECT PROSE. I'm not even kidding, go look up the song and english lyrics. They're really good imo!

Alright enough of BTS promotions, please spare me some love too! Hehehe... Thanks for reading :-)


	10. Chapter 10

**AN:** Hey everyone, sorry for the late update! It's pretty obvious that this story went on a short hiatus so I would like to apologise for having some writers' block the past few weeks. Anyway this chapter is pretty much "fanservice", if that's how you want to call it. Some fluff here and there, but not much substance and plot development. The next one would definitely be more important.

Nonetheless, hope you like it! :-)

* * *

 **Part X**

The students set off on an arduous journey at dawn, scaling steep slopes and starting impromptu snowball fights on the way. For the past hour no one managed to summon enough energy to carry a conversation, resulting in a silence hanging over the group like a heavy cloud. They briefly continued their tour around the outskirts of Mount Fuji from the previous day and reached Lake Kawaguchiko. They stopped for a lunch break while gazing out into the clear river.

Sakura stuck closely to Ino, leaving Hinata to walk awkwardly next to Sasuke. Kiba would go up to her occasionally for a small chat, but something else would draw his attention and he would run ahead. Sasuke, on the other hand, remained as closely as possible without touching her. Naruto was bursting with energy as usual, even going up to Gaara to strike up a conversation. Surprisingly the two managed to get through the afternoon without either receiving a black-eye.

It was a long trek from one end of the river to another, made especially tiring by the heavy load strapped tightly onto the backs of every student. Both Iruka and Kakashi were no different. Naruto leaped for joy the moment they spotted their ryokan at Hakone and made a mad dash for the entrance, followed closely by Lee. Everyone else trailed behind wearily, wondering how the duo could still be oozing with energy after the 25km trek. At the reception of the inn, Iruka delegated two rooms to the students, one for each group. There was a private onsen in each room, much to everyone's delight. Within minutes, both groups headed separate ways and unpacked their belongings hastily.

The boys in Group 1 decided to let the girls use the hot springs first, earning a sigh of relief from Sakura. She wrinkled her nose unconsciously, remembering that she had to share the space with Hinata. She knew that she was being rather petty, but feelings weren't something that anyone could control. She was not ready to face Hinata yet.

However, she caught Sasuke eyeing her suspiciously. Shikamaru raised a brow, while Shino pretended not to notice the tension rising. Gaara remained eerily silent by settling down at the wall on the far end. Even though his eyes were closed, his smoothly-drawn eyeliner did little to suppress his dangerous aura as a punk boy.

"Sakura-san we should go in now, so the rest can enjoy the onsen sooner," Hinata suddenly suggested. Shikamaru nodded his approval and retreated to sit next to Gaara. Sakura merely gave her a quick glance and pushed open the door to the changing room, leaving Hinata to catch up with her. Sasuke frowned but said nothing.

To say that sitting buck naked across an angry friend was awkward would be an understatement. Hinata dared not turn her back to Sakura for fear it would come across as rude, yet she kept her arms firmly crossed over her chest while trying to avoid her gaze. Even through the fog, her piercing green eyes managed to evoke some fear in Hinata.

"Stop that," Sakura said abruptly. Hinata finally turned her eyes to her friend.

"W-What?"

"Your arms. We're both girls here there's nothing to hide."

"Oh...um...I-I can't."

Sakura made a strange face but when the truth dawned on her she sank into the water helplessly. Before this she encountered problems when trying to figure out what made her inferior to Hinata, but now she was ashamed to say that Hinata had a clear advantage over her in terms of feminine assets. No matter how she tried to convince herself that Hinata was fat while her body was much more toned, she knew it was a lie. Hinata's waist size was smaller than hers, with soft curves to give off an extreme feminine appeal. Height wise Hinata was lacking, but apparently Sasuke seemed not to care. She growled in frustration, earning a small jump from her female companion.

That was the end of their conversation. The hot water was inviting her for a longer stay, but Hinata realised that it could not provide the comfort she needed. Her muscles were still stiff, and the person sitting opposite her was a rather intimidating presence, which did nothing to soothe her. Being insecure, Hinata assumed that she had done something to anger her friend, but in retrospect she could not dig up plausible reasons. All she needed was some time alone, so she decided to head back for an early rest. When Sakura heard the sloshing of water, she blinked and followed Hinata's retreating form. She excused herself meekly and scampered towards the changing room.

Hinata quickly shut the door behind her, startling herself by the excess force she used. It slammed shut with a loud bang, and soon enough the other shoji door flew open. A familiar raven head poked in, scanning the room before landing on a frozen Hinata. When he heard a loud 'bang', his first instinct was to check if Hinata was alright, but he was not prepared to see her in this state of dress – or rather, undress. What made it worse was when she shrieked at his sudden entrance and undid her towel's knot by accident when she brought her hands to her chest.

It was in that instant that Sasuke did the most unexpected thing. He dashed across the room and grabbed the towel before it fell, wrapping it around her waist tightly. Hinata on the other hand was occupied with covering her breasts as best as she could with her small hands. She looked down and realised that Sasuke had bent down low enough to be at eye level with her chest, which cued the infamous blush to rise to her cheeks. About five seconds passed and neither dared to move.

Finally, Hinata cleared her throat. Sasuke immediately looked up at her, surprising her with the hint of pink dusting his cheeks, while his ears turned as red as tomatoes. One hand lowered from her chest to her towel, leaving her breasts even more exposed, but his gaze did not waver from her eyes. It was then Hinata saw something in those onyx orbs – lust, and something else that was more nebulous. Her fingers brushed across his hand before grabbing her towel, and she felt him tremble from the brief contact. It was featherlike, yet it left him yearning for so much more.

However, Sasuke snapped back into his senses and closed his eyes like a gentleman would. His words, however, were anything but. "I'm not sorry."

All of a sudden the tension eased and he heard a soft laugh. Sasuke cracked one eye open and was enchanted by her angelic smile, not to mention her attractive voice. He let her take the towel from his hands and spun around to leave.

"I...didn't see anything."

"Ah..." They both knew that it was a lie.

"I'll give you some privacy," he blurted and hastily crossed the room in large strides.

"T-Thank you, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke had to will himself not to turn back when he heard her whisper his name. He thought that he had incredible self-control, but it seemed to have dwindled exponentially within a span of several seconds. He hated to admit it, but he was still a hormonal teenager at the end of the day. Hinata was perfect, especially her body, he gulped as he tried to erase the obscene image of her exposed breasts and her narrow waistline. She had accidentally flashed him for a second, but a second was all that was needed to archive it in his brain due to his photographic memory. The towel was short and barely covered the important parts, leaving almost nothing to the imagination. Fighting down an erection in front of his other male classmates right after the steamy encounter proved to be the greatest challenge he had ever faced yet.

"What happened?" Shikamaru asked.

"Hinata, uh she slipped and fell," Sasuke replied rather dumbly. The "uh" made the others suspicious since Uchiha Sasuke never faltered in his speech. Gaara's perceptive eyes curiously bore into his own, but he did not probe.

The shoji door opened to reveal Hinata fully dressed in skinny jeans and a lavender turtleneck. Everyone turned to acknowledge her and she shied away from the sudden attention she was receiving.

"Sasuke said you fell," Shikamaru stated matter-of-factly.

"A-Ah...y-yes I fell. I have always been clumsy." Hinata started poking her fingers together when she felt his scrutiny. Moreover, she couldn't muster the courage to look Sasuke in the eye.

"Be careful," Shikamaru said and yawned. She nodded.

"You got hurt?" Gaara suddenly inquired. Everyone looked at him, utterly astonished that he was showing even a flicker of concern. Sasuke narrowed his eyes slightly.

 _My pride got hurt,_ Hinata thought.

"A-Ano I-"

"Hurt my ass," Sasuke completed for her. She squeaked in embarrassment and lunged forward to hit him lightly. He found it hilarious that she would get riled up over something so trivial. Gaara looked between both of them, suspecting a conspiracy but he kept his mouth shut. There was nothing he needed to know anyway. Whether she landed on her ass or face wasn't any of his business.

When Sakura exited the changing room, all the guys automatically stood up and made their way in, leaving Hinata alone with the pinkette. She flinched when Sakura threw her phone onto the bag right next to her feet.

"Ne, Hinata.'

"Yes?"

"How do you do it?"

Hinata looked at her friend with a befuddled expression. She blinked owlishly, trying to think of what to say since she had no idea what Sakura meant.

"Never mind."

"S-Sakura-san..."

"It's nothing," she replied curtly. Hinata apologised, something that escaped her lips out of habit when she sensed that someone was angry with her. Sakura paused for a short moment but soon resumed her own business without responding. Hinata sulked and turned away to apply the moisturiser on her face. One hand grasped onto a pocket mirror while the other hand smoothed a layer of white cream onto her cheek. Unbeknownst to her, Sakura was watching her from the corner of her eyes.

 _She really looks like a baby..._

Just then, the boys exited the changing room, all of them fully dressed. Sasuke caught Hinata's brief gaze before she turned away. Was she disappointed to see no skin exposed? He grinned inevitably at the thought, earning strange looks from the other males.

"Let's go now, shall we?" Sakura remarked, jumping up from her sitting position. Everyone stared at each other for a short moment after she left the room and proceeded to follow suit. Hinata pretended not to notice that Sasuke constantly stuck by her side, matching her footsteps perfectly. When she slowed down, he immediately did the same. When she quickened her pace, so did he. With her much shorter legs, there was no way she could possibly outrun him so she gave in. Sasuke was one weird person.

* * *

That night was one of the weirdest ones Hinata had experienced. Everyone was tired from the day's activities, which included a long trek from the mountains to Hakome and a visit to a kimono museum. It was the first time in a long time when the students from Tokyo could fully indulge themselves in their own culture and tradition. Many myths and stories were told, and for once everyone could fully appreciate the beauty of feudalistic Japan in the old days.

But that wasn't the weird part.

Not only did she accidentally flash her upper body to a male, Hinata currently found herself in the arms of the very same person on the futon. It was in the middle of the night and everyone was sound asleep, but Hinata being a light sleeper immediately woke up when she felt a hard body being pressed to her back. She should have guessed that Sasuke would try something when he insisted on sleeping on the futon next to hers. Too late to protest now, it seemed.

"Sasuke-kun, you're not asleep, are you?" she asked softly with a hint of defeat.

"Mm yeah I'm asleep, Hinata," he whispered into her ear with some sarcasm.

Hinata moved her hands to his right arm that was casually draped across her waist, but just before she could move the offending limb away he grabbed her fingers. "Just for tonight," he mumbled.

"N-No...we shouldn't be d-doing these things," Hinata protested.

"Please."

Uchiha Sasuke never begged. Hinata would have refused to protect her dignity but she remembered how he clung onto her on the first night. How he cried so hard like never before, and how he was hiding something from her. Something that hurt so much till it broke him. Hinata had imposed strict moral values on herself but a part of her relented. Why was she resisting him so much? Sasuke didn't mean her any harm. He was just a...boy.

A boy who needed comfort.

Sasuke assumed that Hinata had given in since her hands relaxed in his hold. He sighed in relief and muttered his thanks into her ear. Out of playfulness he decided to blow some hot air onto her exposed neck, and as expected, her breath hitched in her throat and she squirmed to escape his grip. He wouldn't let her, though, so once again she gave in.

"Ano...Sasuke-kun..."

"Yeah?"

"Is...is there something going on between you and Sakura-san?"

"Why'd you ask?"

"I'm not certain. Sakura-san hasn't been herself recently, and I think it could be...um..."

"Us?"

Hinata gulped. She could not see his face but somehow she knew that he was smirking. Trust him to be painfully blunt. "N-No..."

"Whatever you say."

"Gaara-san..?"

His hand had slid down to the curve of her hip, holding it firmly but not painfully. There was a short pause before he replied tersely. "What?" Hinata had to bite back a gasp at the fact that Sasuke had just snapped at her.

"I just don't understand w-why you two...um..you don't seem to like each other."

"Don't talk about him."

Part of Hinata wanted to turn around to see his face when he said that, but she knew it would risk getting herself into a sticky situation with their close contact. She was already feeling awkward enough as it was. She breathed out slowly and tried to think up a sensible response but paused when she felt the tips of his fingers touching her bare hip. For a moment she was paralysed, unable to bring herself to act.

His fingers crawled up an inch, stroking her bare skin and it was then her senses started kicking in. However, contrary to what she thought he would do, his hand slowly retracted to rest on her clothed stomach.

"Sorry my hands are cold, aren't they?" he whispered almost seductively.

Hinata's reflex kick came in a bit late but the blow wasn't any less painful. Sasuke groaned slightly when he felt her heel connect with his shin, but recovered quickly and pulled her closer until her back was plastered on his chest. He chuckled lowly when he heard a gasp.

"You kick like a little kangaroo," he said. "I wouldn't expect any less."

"Sasuke-kun p-please..."

He had to restart his brain for a moment to fit those words into the right context. "Please what?" he teased.

"We shouldn't...we shouldn't be doing this, Sasuke-kun. You should only do these things to...to your girlfriend. I-I'm not. Your girlfriend, that is."

Sasuke's grin dissolved into a solemn frown. "Hinata."

"Yes?"

"Stop thinking about such small things." He knew that she was about to protest but he surprised her by moving his hand up north. Inwardly he was marvelling at her rather toned abdomen and the curved shape of her ribcage through the thick cotton. "Stop...just stop. I mean, there are so many things that aren't right. My life...and...and you."

Under normal circumstances Hinata would have blushed heavily, but she picked out the wavering of Sasuke's voice. He was struggling to get the words out coherently and his breath was becoming slightly ragged. Instead, she brought a hand to her chest and felt her heart thump painfully.

"This is a mistake," he said. His fingers started caressing her midsection, skimming close enough to her breasts to startle her, but quickly retreating south before she could push him away. "Hinata, I'm sick of people telling me what to do. What's right, and what's wrong, who gives a fuck about that anymore? If anyone did then nobody would be in misery."

"Sasuke-kun..."

"What I'm trying to say is to stop worrying, alright? Stop with this 'We shouldn't this, we shouldn't that' shit. If there's anything we shouldn't do then it is to give a fuck about what people think."

 _Including Sakura._ It was unspoken but Hinata heard it clearly.

"You don't hate me, do you?" he asked quietly.

Hinata turned her head to the side, lips turning into a confused pout. "W-What? No, of course not."

"Then all's good. Just for one night." He tightened his hold on her waist to prove his point.

"What do you-"

"Just for tonight. Let me do this."

Hinata wanted to refuse but her words were stuck in her throat for some unfathomable reason. "T-Tonight?" she croaked out.

"Yes, just tonight."

She didn't reply but he knew she consented when he felt her relax. It showed that she trusted him, and for that he couldn't be more grateful. His lips turned upwards into a small smile as he nuzzled his nose into her shoulder.

On the other hand, Gaara was wide awake. He rolled all the way to the corner of the room to fish for his ear plugs to block out the couple's voices, one of them much more bearable than the other's.

 _Bloody hell, did they read those crappy lines off a script?_ Gaara thought he was about to die from the level of disgust after hearing the conversation. He was not an eavesdropper, but they couldn't blame him for being an insomniac. He of all people would rather escape out into the snow than listen in on some romantic crap, especially when it involved Uchiha Sasuke. For some strange reason he didn't interrupt them by exiting the room. He puzzled himself by being so considerate.

Praise the Lord, he finally found the holy ear plugs in one small compartment of his bag. The annoying part was that the two stopped talking right after he pushed the first ear plug into his right ear. He muttered a string of expletives before shoving the other ear plug into his left ear, just in case there was a chapter two.

It never happened, so in the end Gaara concluded that he was pretty unlucky.

* * *

 **AN:** I wonder does anyone even read the ANs? I mean I do write some random crap here but y'know, at least I get to say/clarify things to you guys that I can't exactly express in the story. It's complicated haha.

Okay what I really want to say is that I don't understand why haters would leave pointless reviews here asking me to kill myself for writing fanfiction. Because it sounds like they live for canon Naruto, so writing something "unorthodox" warrants me a death sentence. Honestly if that were true (nah no need for "if" actually) then I'm happy to say I lead a much more fulfilling life. I don't live to write something strictly based on what someone else has already written, unlike people who seem to hang onto canon-verse like it's life support, as if any variation in pairings would hinder their very existence. Sucks to live like that eh? What's writing without imagination? There wouldn't be any art to it then. [...] Nevermind, bigots wouldn't understand anyway so I'll cut the crap.

Now I really seem like an insolent brat don't I? With my age too haha that's not helping. Well I needed to get it off my chest since the very beginning so I'm relieved I actually did. Please forgive me if I came across as rude because it isn't very becoming of a sixteen-year-old.

More importantly, thank you everyone who has read and supported this fic. I'm really happy that you guys like the story so far, especially those who have kindly dropped some reviews, including the ones containing some personal encouragement. You people are too nice :-)

I'll definitely work harder to keep the story interesting. Hopefully I can finish this before I go back to school next year, or else I'll die from the stress haha (not from suicide, sorry to disappoint the haters.) Then again I'm pretty sure I'll survive somehow, even if it means crawling out from the pile of homework to get to my computer.

Till next time!


	11. Chapter 11

**AN:** Merry Christmas everyone! My faithful reviewers, thank you for supporting this fic all this time. To thank you guys I thought it'd be cool to cough up a veeeery long update for you to enjoy, and I'm happy to say that I personally like this chapter very much. I stayed up till 6am last night (morning) to finish this, but hey no need to thank me I just hope you like this update. It's 18 pages long on word doc. :-)

Inspiration? Honestly I listen well to music, so I listened to some stuff while writing all this because I had to keep myself awake and thinking. Halfway through I clicked on Rap Monster's "Voice" and lost it. I haven't heard anything this...sincere, this heartfelt for a long time. The lyrics are not related to the fic, but it made me _really_ think about life.

No, not literally "think about life" in a dreamy (shallow) way, but the true meaning of it and the many things that make up life itself as well as their worth. Why do people suffer? It's difficult to explain because everyone is different, but if expressed properly I think a good story could be made, one that's kinda far-fetched yet with a touch of realism for readers to empathise with the characters. I'm still young and juvenile, but I hope someday I would be able to convey these emotions properly and maybe I could make the Naruto characters better than they already are. I'll try harder for my next fic...ehehehe...

Thank you for putting up with my rambling. Go ahead and enjoy the chap! ~~

* * *

 **Part XI**

"It's not a good idea."

"Yes it is! C'mon loosen up!"

"What if someone gets lost?"

"We're in high school! That's stupid!"

"But you're stupid."

"Iruka-sensei!"

"Okay."

Everyone turned to look at Kakashi who returned from the public toilet. Naruto and Iruka paused their bickering and stared at the man in awe, though for different reasons. The excited blonde jumped up and ran to hug Kakashi only to be stopped with a hand to his head, fingers digging into his scalp firmly. He reckoned that he must look stupid.

"The rules of hide and seek-" Kakashi began only to be interrupted by Naruto.

"No! I said zombie apocalypse!" he yelled indignantly.

Kakashi's eyebrow twitched. Iruka sighed as well.

"Since it's your last day here, do what you want, kids," Kakashi shrugged and gestured to Naruto to announce the rules of the game.

"So it's similar to hide and seek, except with the zombie theme!" Naruto exclaimed loudly. "We start off with two zombies, and everyone else is given 100 seconds to hide. After that, the zombies start to hunt for the rest of the people. Running, fighting, everything is allowed when you encounter the zombie, but if the zombie touches you then you'll become one of 'em and start chasing other people till no one's left!"

"Base camp will be here," Iruka stated dryly, "Kakashi and I will stay here to guard your belongings while you play."

Hinata felt a bit uneasy after hearing the rules of the game. It wasn't as if she couldn't hold her ground due to her karate background, but she wasn't exactly the fastest runner. Besides, she wasn't particularly fond of the idea of running around and hiding all alone. She had always supported Naruto, but this time she found a wave of unease stirring in her core, which she blamed on the biting wind.

"You want to go together?" Sasuke whispered down to her, so that no one else could hear. She looked up at him with mild shock, but averted her eyes quickly.

"No...I just think that you should enjoy this game fully since you are capable," she replied softly.

"What are you talking about? You need someone to back you, y'know. You're too nice for your own good."

"Ano, being nice has nothing to do with the game, Sasuke-kun."

At this, Sasuke smirked and put a hand on her head. "You're wrong, Hinata. It has _everything_ to do with that."

She was about to question him but he gave her a pat on the head and left her side to stand next to Shikamaru. It was clear that he had agreed to leave her alone during the game, but his words left her feeling even worse than before. She didn't understand them, and that exacerbated her worries.

 _Well...there's a first for everything. Zombie apocalypse here we go,_ she thought sulkily.

After a bit of dawdling, the game commenced with Naruto and Lee as the zombies. The moment the countdown from 100 started, everyone dispersed and went into hiding. From the corner of his eye, Sasuke spotted Hinata dashing off to the trees in the far distance. He predicted that she would simply hide, and probably put up a quarter of a fight before submitting when she met one of the zombies. Hinata was smart, but in nature she was like a rabbit. Such innocent, docile creatures never lived long in a survival game. But what could he do? He simply shook his head and went down a separate path.

* * *

Footsteps. Hinata heard footsteps. Not exactly the sound of heels clicking on concrete, but rather the soft shifting of snow on the ground. She ceased breathing for a moment, her ears attentive to the approaching footsteps. They passed the tree she was hiding behind, and Hinata let out a sigh of relief. If a confrontation took place here she wouldn't know what to-

"Hinata?"

She yelped and spun around so fast she landed on rear. "Ino-san..."

"Yeah, it's just me, don't worry."

"Where's Sakura-san? I t-thought she was with you."

"Naruto spotted us, so we parted ways, that baka," Ino sighed, ruffling her long ponytail. Hinata smiled at the thought of Naruto chasing after the two girls. It must have been quite the sight, knowing how loud the three of them were. "C'mon, we should get going before either one of _them_ finds us." The blonde bent down and offered a hand.

Hinata was about to accept her help when she suddenly froze. A cold wind blew past and she looked into Ino's aquamarine eyes. "You're _it_ ," Hinata said quietly and hurled a snowball at her friend's face. Ino shrieked but recovered quickly and began chasing.

"Ne, Hinata!" she yelled, loud enough for the blunette to hear. "I underestimated you!"

Hinata made a face and focused on outrunning her opponent. In actuality, she would have fallen for Ino's scheme, if not for the fact she mentioned that Sakura and her parted ways. She had known the blonde for several years, and though they were not on the closest terms, she was aware of the deep bond Ino shared with Sakura. She would never leave her best friend behind.

Besides, Ino was known to be witty. Hinata couldn't simply shrug off her kind gesture as the norm, since Ino must have been aware that initiating touch with another player would stir up distrust. Unless she had a motive, she was certain that the blonde would never screw up a true alliance pact.

Well, Hinata was pretty gullible, but she was not daft. The only thing she could hope for now was a safe place to hide. Ino was rather far behind, but catching up. She looked around briefly, racking her brains for a hiding place that no one would think of, but everything was just trees, trees and more trees...and snow. She could bury herself in the snow, but she feared she wouldn't have enough time.

Finally, she spotted a snowy slope in the distance. It was rather steep, but she had an idea. She continued running in a straight path, glancing to her back to see if Ino was following. When she saw the blonde bolting after her, she made a violent swerve to her right where Ino's vision of her was blocked by a multitude of tall trees.

Hinata then scraped a few handfuls of snow from the slope and scattered them neatly above her footprints to get rid of all evidence. The footsteps were coming closer, and Hinata quickly jumped to the nearest tree and wiggled her feet into the snow till her jeans were completely buried. Her fingers latched tightly onto the base of the tree trunk as she anchored her feet into the deep snow on the slope while she clung for her life. It was a dangerous position, but she had the stamina to hold on long enough for Ino to pass.

There was a sustained silence, when Hinata picked up soft shuffling on her left. Ino was here, and looking down the slope. She closed her eyes and stopped breathing for a moment, straining to hear the footsteps. She prayed that Ino wouldn't be able to see her from her angle. There was a soft rustling of clothing and then the footsteps increased in frequency till she registered that Ino had jogged off in search of someone else. Hinata sighed in relief, feeling the fast beating of her heart pressed onto the cold snow. The icy sensation only served to heighten the thrill, and she found herself starting to enjoy the game a little more. The feeling of being chased was terrifying, but somehow the run had managed to help rid her off other worries.

 _Maybe...maybe I can survive this after all?_

Fate was mocking her, since right after that thought crossed her mind, her fingers slipped and she found herself rolling down the slope. It was rather long one, not too steep but enough to prevent her from regaining her balance. She rolled on and on, the snow muffling her cries for help, all the way till she felt a painful blow to the back of her head.

Everything stopped turning at once, which Hinata was grateful for, but the sharp blow to her head was taking its toll on her instantaneously. Her vision was becoming blurry, but she spotted a pink dot in the distance. A head of pink that could only belong to...

"H-Help..." she whispered, "please..."

Sakura gaped in horror at the sight of her friend lying helplessly with her head at the foot of the tree. She guessed that Hinata must have fallen down the slope and knocked her head on the tree, for she seemed to be enduring some pain. Her heart ached and everything else was forgotten. This wasn't a matter of pride anymore, it was about helping someone in need.

A foot forward.

Sakura paused and contemplated her options. The slope was steep, and she would risk injuring herself if she went down all by herself. There was a long pause when she didn't move, simply standing with a foot down the snowy lane. Finally, she composed herself and retracted her foot.

Hinata couldn't even register that Sakura had run off without her, for her vision became increasingly blurry. Black dots clouded the periphery of her vision, slowly but surely spreading towards the centre till she was plunged into a world of darkness. Only one word escaped her lips before she succumbed: Sasuke-kun.

No one came to the area for a long moment. Hinata was still in a semi-conscious state, and the only thing she could feel was the coldness of the snow. Her body was pressed against the cold surface, and this situation bore an eerie resemblance to a snow burial.

However, she heard footsteps in the distance. It seemed so faraway, she could not distinguish if she was dreaming or if it was reality. The next thing she realised was someone's hand which made contact with her face.

Help? Was someone here to help her? But no one would travel this far out, would they?

She felt something hit her waist lightly, probably by accident, and the hand trailed down to her neck, pressing lightly against her pulse point. A very miniscule part of her started panicking when she felt hot breath on her face. It was close. So very close. The feeling was there, yet not really. She had trouble grasping onto reality, so much so that she wasn't even sure what fear was anymore.

* * *

"Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke whirled around to see Sakura about five metres away from him. She was panting, and her hair was in a mess. He was about to take off as a reflex but she called out to him again. She sounded desperate, which was odd.

"What?" he snapped.

"Hinata..."

"We've had this conversation, Sakura."

"I mean..." Sakura kept panting, bending down to place her hands on her knees. "Hinata fell."

"How did you find me?" Sasuke derided, crossing his arms as he scanned her dishevelled appearance, trying to detect any trace of a lie. For all he knew, she could be a zombie trying to trick him by poking at his weak spots.

Then again, she didn't seem to be lying about Hinata. If this was a game of sabotage, then two could play it. He calmly advanced towards her till he was a foot's distance away.

"You aren't scared I'll catch you too?" he lied smoothly.

"Huh?! Sasuke-kun this...this isn't about the game! Hinata, she's there!" Sakura pointed behind her, but obviously neither could even see her silhouette.

"What's your purpose in finding me when you can help her yourself?"

"I..."

"Sakura we're done."

She lunged forward to smack some sense into him but he dodged swiftly, putting some distance between them this time. He heard her growl.

"Sasuke-kun! You probably think I'm a terrible person but I wouldn't lie about these things! You can't expect me to go down on my own-"

"It's always about you."

"-and carry her up myself! Because I can't!" Sakura finished in exasperation.

 _Carry her? Up?_

He tuned out the rest of Sakura's rambling and sped off in the direction she pointed. He noticed that she was not following him, but that was not important. The only thing that mattered was Hinata. Sakura would live.

Meanwhile, Sakura simply stood there in a slight daze, staring at her feet. Tears overflowed from the rim of her eyes, trickling down her face. _Control yourself,_ she screamed inwardly, but it was so hard. Gaara was right after all. Sasuke really did like Hinata, and there was no way she could compete. She shouldn't even feel so sour after earning a rightful conclusion, but why did it hurt so much? She wished she could control her feelings, then she could switch off them instantly, and she wouldn't be so miserable.

But she couldn't. She was well aware of her limitations.

Just then, she felt a tap on her right shoulder before a cheerful face appeared in her field of vision. "Congratulations, you're a zombie now!" Ino laughed, though it trailed off when she saw the tears on her best friend's face.

"Ino..."

She pulled Sakura into a tight hug, stroking the back of her head comfortingly like a mother would a child. "What's wrong?"

"Ino...is it right to hate someone who is nice to you?"

She was stunned by this question, but composed herself to reply with as much tact as she could. "Why would you hate that person then?"

"I don't know...I really don't know anymore."

"Well, then I don't think you really hate that person."

"I do."

"Hm. Just stop crying, forehead. Or tell me what's wrong?"

Sakura stopped sobbing and gently wriggled out of Ino's embrace. She turned away and looked down the path Sasuke had just run down, feeling a strangely numbing sensation overtake her. "I was wrong, Ino. All this time. But at least I think...I probably did the right thing this time."

Ino could only smile warmly when Sakura turned back to look at her. Somehow she was hit by a pang of sadness herself upon hearing those words.

* * *

Things took a turn for the worse when Sasuke hurled a snowball at Gaara with enough force for it to hurt. The redhead was kneeling above Hinata with both knees next to the sides of her hips, one hand touching her neck with his face uncomfortably close to hers. Sasuke felt a burning rage ignite within him the moment he witnessed this scene. It almost seemed like he was taking advantage of her when she was unconscious.

Without giving him a chance to explain, he kicked Gaara off roughly and stole a glance at her pale countenance. He instinctively cupped the sides of her face but was interrupted when a big snowball hit him square in the face.

"What the fuck!" he accused.

"Finish what you started," Gaara sneered.

"A life is at stake here!" He proceeded to lift Hinata up but was kicked by Gaara on the shoulder. He rolled back into the snow from the impact, and opened his eyes to see his rival grinning madly from above. Sasuke swung his foot out in an attempt to trip Gaara but he easily jumped back and landed smoothly, bent forward in a defensive stance.

"I checked her pulse. She's fine."

"Give me a break, Sabaku. I need to take her to the base camp to rest."

None of them reacted for a while, so Sasuke decided that he wasn't going to attack anytime soon. He began strutting past the redhead, but the moment he was right next to him, he felt a hand grab onto his shirt. He turned to glare at Gaara, but was met with a demonic grin. There was a freaky glint in his eyes, and Sasuke immediately pushed his hand away, reeling from the sight before him.

"Uchiha Sasuke, you said you wanted to fight me. Now's your chance."

"Not now."

"I'm your enemy, am I not?"

Sasuke was now facing him fully, legs spread out for balance in case Gaara tried anything. He swallowed the lump in his throat, considering the plausible options he had. Was Gaara an enemy? It sounded rather childish, but he knew he hated him. Sasuke never believed in love at first sight, but hate at first sight was a different thing. He experienced it fully with the person standing in front of him. Yes, he hated Gaara. And the person that was hated was also called...

"Yes, an enemy you are."

Gaara smirked. "You hate me like everyone else, therefore I am your enemy. Enemies don't wait to be attacked."

With that, he charged towards Sasuke and the fight began. It was more intense than anything Sasuke had ever experienced, and the last time he felt this threatened was during his fight with Hyuuga Neji. However, at that time he knew that he was being watched by the referee and many others. In the worst case scenario, one of them would only end up unconscious, not dead. But this time, he wasn't so sure.

Gaara was truly a monster. From the way he moved to the murderous glint in his eyes, Sasuke recognised that this child was unlike any other. He sensed his pain, the overwhelming agony that flowed in his veins, emanating from his every pore. It was so strong that he felt like Gaara was screaming out at him through all the punches and kicks he threw.

He couldn't fight this monster. Even if he was strong enough to defend himself, he wasn't so sure if he could break his seemingly absolute defence. Even if Gaara wanted to kill him, given the opportunity, he wasn't sure if he could bear to do the same.

 _We're only eighteen. Why do we have to see so much? Why? It hurts, Okaa-san._

Sasuke felt pain surge through his arm when Gaara twisted it into a rather unnatural angle. For sure it was broken, and he winced at the electric sensation passing through that arm from the back of his hand to the elbow.

 _It hurts so much._

Gaara bent down to lift his opponent but Sasuke quickly swung a kick at his waist. Being small and light-weighted, he lost his balance and fell to the side, landing on his elbow. Even though there was a thin layer of snow to cushion the fall, the hard sleet beneath grazed his joint. Sasuke watched the blood trickle down his elbow slowly, feeling an unfamiliar panic well up in his chest. He had to take deep breaths to calm himself.

"Sabaku, it's time to wake up."

"What are you talking about, Uchiha? You're done? Ha! You're pathetic."

"Gaara! Enough is enough," Sasuke growled. "We're both injured. You broke my arm, and you probably cracked something in that elbow. This fight is pointless, I've seen enough."

"No, none of this will ever be enough," Gaara stated monotonously. Drops of blood landed on the snow, seeping through the white particles to form a growing brown stain. Sasuke gaped at his display of apathy. Did it not hurt for him? Could he even feel pain? One look in his eyes and he realised that he couldn't.

This was insane. He must have been hurt so much till he became numb. That world of his was filled with so much pain it made him delirious. It made him sick. Yes, Gaara was a sick monster.

"Are you afraid of me, Uchiha?"

Sasuke bit his lip and tried to empathise with his so-called enemy. The kid was suffering, even if he tried not to show it. "You're not as strong as you think, are you?" He stood up and brushed the snow off his injured arm, looking Gaara in the eye.

"You think you're all mighty when you can beat someone down, but let me tell you, you're not. I don't know how you walked down this crooked path, but you don't give a shit about the people you hurt. You're a monster, and someone like you shouldn't even be alive!"

"Me? Give a shit about the people I hurt?" Gaara started cackling madly, earning a disapproving frown from Sasuke.

"When I first got beat up, no one gave a shit about me," he stopped laughing abruptly and blurted those words. He spread out his legs and hunched slightly, bringing an arm forward ready to launch an attack. Sasuke cringed and did the same, just in case the mad man decided to surprise him.

"They all called me a monster, and they're right. Monsters don't feel pain. Monsters don't care about others. Monsters only love themselves."

"You're in pain. Even I can see that."

"Lies!" Gaara roared, then burst into another fit of laughter. "Lies...you're a liar. Everyone lies to me. I don't need to take any of these. You people are the ones who think you're all high and mighty, not me."

A step forward.

"Who decided to ambush me in school? Who tried to poison my food at home? Who ever said sorry to me?"

"Sabaku..." Sasuke muttered.

"WHO EVER GAVE A FUCK ABOUT ME?!"

"Sabaku! Get a grip!"

"No one...no one at all..." Before he knew it, Sasuke saw the unmistakable tears rolling down Gaara's face. To say that he was shocked was an understatement.

 _I hurt people before they can hurt me, it's just a defence mechanism. But somehow even that's painful too._

"It hurts...so much," he whispered. "Why?"

Sasuke didn't know how to answer that. Fighting for a place in society was the unspoken objective in living, but he felt pained hearing that literal fighting was Gaara's purpose. Whether it was to protect himself or satisfy his sadistic needs, he knew for sure that Gaara was scarred, perhaps for life.

"I'm sorry."

Gaara's eyes widened at the unexpected apology, and he wiped his tears hastily with his sleeve, cursing himself for the display of weakness in front of Uchiha Sasuke, his enemy.

"You said no one apologised to you, didn't you? Now I have. You can stop feeling sorry about yourself."

Sasuke thought that it was fine to put his pride aside for a short moment just to tell the poor guy what he needed to hear. It was what Hinata would have done. However, he was not ready for what was to come.

"I'm sorry too, Uchiha. Because right now the monster only wants your blood."

By the time the others arrived to find the trio, both had already beaten each other into a pulp, lying unconscious with arms and legs spread out widely. Hinata could only scream when she woke up to this bloody sight.

* * *

Hinata sat next to a now-conscious Sasuke on the futon. He was lying down with one hand behind his head, and the bandaged one placed neatly into a cast was resting against his chest. She sighed for the upteenth time, but he didn't turn to look at her. The rest of the students were out exploring the area with Iruka, and only the two of them remained in the room.

"Stop sighing, I told you I'm fine."

Hinata frowned and almost sighed again but restrained herself. "You're really...reckless."

This time he turned to look at her with a soft glare. "Why don't you tell that to Sabaku instead?"

"You shouldn't have attacked him first."

"Yeah? I thought he was doing something...wrong to you. It didn't look right and I did it because I cared, alright?" he snapped.

"I-I know...I thank you for that."

"But?"

"Y-Yes?"

"I sense a 'but' coming."

Hinata looked down and blushed slightly, fiddling with the hem of her sleeves. From that short pause, Sasuke knew that he was right and closed his eyes in annoyance. She felt a bit uncomfortable that he could be so intuitive at times. "B-But Gaara-san wouldn't do anything to hurt me."

Sasuke blinked at her oddly, shooting a glance down at his arm then bringing his eyes back to her. "This – and you say he wouldn't hurt you? He can, and that's why I didn't want to take the risk."

"Ano...you're probably right."

"Besides, I just wanted to make sure nothing happened to you. He started the fight. This goddamn arm is the consequence of not being strong enough." Sasuke turned to look at the ceiling and breathed out slowly, as if trying to contain his irritation.

"Sasuke-kun, you do know that Gaara-san is not exactly...right in the head, don't you?" Hinata whispered, as if afraid of having someone eavesdrop on their conversation.

"Yes I know damn well that guy's insane, so now I'm telling you to stay away from him. He's dangerous and he might hurt you, intentionally or not."

"He's...a really sad person. It'll make him sad if people stay away more than they already do."

"It won't. He's used to it. Face it Hinata, everyone knows him as a monster."

Hinata clenched her fists and glared at Sasuke. He never thought he would see the day. "Don't call him that. Gaara-san isn't a monster. He's been through a lot, Sasuke-kun. He lost his mother and his uncle, so have I, but as far as I know nobody's saying anything about me. I-I also heard he's not on good terms with his father. You s-should try to...empathise at least...Gaara-san really isn't a monster. He can be kind."

"He calls himself that, y'know. Who am I to deny his claim? Yes I know, the dude's been through some, but all of us have. What about me, huh? I didn't choose this path either! My own father kicked me out of my house and I don't get to see my family anymore. You think people in school actually idolize me? They say all kinds of shit behind my back, and the teachers hate my attitude."

"Sasuke-kun, you shouldn't say such things. Y-You have so many friends, but Gaara-san has none. He's human...and if no one is willing to support him then I will. Itachi-san would be so upset to hear that. What about Mikoto-obasan? She would be so disappointed, because they're your family, aren't they?"

"Hinata..."

"H-Hai?"

"Get out."

"Huh? I-"

Sasuke pulled himself into a sitting position and glared at her. Hinata had never seen him this angry before, and she swore she saw a flicker of red in his coal eyes for a split second. His eyebrows were tightly knitted together and he bared his teeth slightly, trembling to contain his anger. She could see the strain from the vein that protruded from his neck.

"Hinata, get out before I do something to hurt you."

She wasted no time in complying, scrambling towards the door hastily. Her eyes locked onto Sasuke's for a brief moment until he broke the eye contact when he laid back down on the futon.

"Leave me alone tonight...please."

"I'm sorry..."

She bowed ninety degrees and stayed there for several seconds before closing the shoji doors quietly. Sasuke saw this gesture from the corner of his eyes but turned his head to the side to avoid looking at her. Every bit of her reminded him of his mother, and he hated it. He saw how sad she looked when he chased her away, and he felt a tinge of guilt pricking at his conscience. Even though she made him mad, she still remained so innocent, and so terribly kind.

He hated all of it, yet he still loved her. It was foolish and he knew it.

* * *

 _"Hey...stop crying."_

 _"W-W-Who are y-you? W-Why are you in the girls' toilet?"_

 _"If you don't come out I'm breaking the door down."_

 _"Please...please leave me alone."_

 _Hinata shivered even though it wasn't cold outside. Her heart was pumping at a maddening rate, threatening to leap out of her chest yet it was confined by a stifling ribcage. She felt suffocated even though there was no one around. No one except the stranger with a deep voice. He sounded familiar, but she knew him not, or at least she thought so. She simply couldn't put a face to the voice._

 _She heard some shuffling, then a low sigh. The person had seated himself right outside her cubicle, leaning on the wall. She peeked underneath the door but only managed to see the sole of his foot as he stretched out a leg, bending the other to rest his elbow on._

 _"Tell me what happened. I won't tell anyone."_

 _"Ano i-it's okay...it's not important. You s-should go out quickly before anyone sees you here."_

 _"I locked the door."_

 _What? That was ridiculous. Hinata decided not to question him and hugged her knees tightly. This inevitably brought about another burst of fresh tears as the memory played back in her head like a broken record. He heard her sobbing and let out another sigh._

 _"Hyuuga Hinata, tell me what happened. You're the heiress to the Hyuuga corporation, aren't you? You cannot be weak. Whatever it is, let it out now. Don't think, don't fear, just talk to me. I'll listen."_

 _There was a sustained pause where only her stifled sobs and harsh breathing were audible. From the small gap between the cubicle door and the ground, Hinata saw that he hadn't moved an inch. This stranger was asking her to talk to him, and she wasn't sure what to say. Was it alright to trust a stranger? Could she afford to show her weakness?_

 _"I...I'm not the heiress anymore."_

 _"Go on."_

 _She choked on another sob and took several shaky breaths to calm herself. "I am i-incapable to lead the company. My father...he gave the position to my younger sister."_

 _"I see."_

 _"P-Please d-don't tell anyone! No...please forget e-everything I said..."_

 _She heard some shuffling sounds, followed by soft footsteps. Her head was bowed low, and her breath was stuck in her throat when she spotted the person's shadow poking through the small gap on the tiled floor. He was standing right in front of her door now._

 _"Hinata, come out now. You have to be brave and come out. Everything will be okay."_

 _"It's...hard to believe that now. My father was so disappointed...I let him down. And...and he's only giving me a chance to redeem myself if I do well for the end-of-year examinations..."_

 _"What does he expect?"_

 _"F-First in the level. That's not possible..."_

 _"Study with me then."_

 _Hinata wiped at her tears and brought a hand to her heart, feeling it race. It was beating fast previously, but now it was for a completely different reason. She felt her cheeks warm at the stranger's altruism – or at least it seemed that way so far. She wondered why anyone would even bother._

 _"Now open the door, or I'm breaking it down."_

 _"W-Wait...why are you doing this? Do I know you?"_

 _"I understand your plight. And yes, we've met."_

 _Hinata placed a hand on the metal ledge uncertainly, hesitating to pull it open. It was a rather scary moment, to be caught when she was in her worst state, especially when it was a stranger. She stood still for several more seconds, thinking hard if she should open the door, and what she would say. Finally, she swallowed her fears and pulled at the ledge, unlocking the door to reveal the mysterious person._

 _Her mouth hung agape at the astounding revelation._

 _"Uchiha-san...w-why?"_

 _He simply shrugged. "You aren't a fangirl, so I don't mind us being friends."_

 _Well, it started to make a little bit of sense._

Hinata was shaken out of her musings when the door swung open. She was sitting in the same position as before, crying her eyes out in the last cubicle of the toilet only to be interrupted by someone. She bit her lip to mute her sobs, but she inadvertently let out a loud gasp when the footsteps stopped right in front of her stall. It was an uncanny parallel to her last encounter with Sasuke, and she didn't feel too good about this.

She felt guilty from the bottom of her heart, knowing that she had said something insensitive to Sasuke. She wasn't entirely sure what triggered his anger, but it was her fault nonetheless. Why did she even care so much? There were so many questions that had yet to be answered, but it seemed like the more she thought about it, the more unclear the answer became.

Right now she was being tormented by a figure that resembled him all too much. She sensed a dark aura from the other side of the door. It wasn't warm, but it didn't feel dangerous either. The tension continued to rise when neither spoke a word. What made it worse was that she _knew_ it was a male.

Was it Sasuke? She felt her heart take a leap, but she wasn't entirely sure about that.

Suddenly, the shadows moved. She glanced at the person's black slippers moving away, only to pause at the wall opposite her cubicle. The person sank down into a meditative pose without paying her any attention. She realised that waiting for him to speak was futile.

"Ano...S-Sasuke-kun?"

"Wrong."

Hinata brought her hands to her lips in shock. "Gaara-san! W-What are you doing here?"

"I'll wait. Just come out soon."

"N-No, please! No one should see you here, it'll make you look bad."

"Uchiha would have done the same."

Hinata held her breath for a moment, then let out a long sigh. She dabbed at her tears with her index finger and licked at her dry lips. It was another one of those moments with him when she was stunned speechless, and it only grew more awkward by the second. She actually hated that he was right about Sasuke though.

"Y-You're right," she stammered.

"You won't tell anyone else about this right?"

She reeled back in surprise, as if the answer was painfully obvious. "Of course not," she replied as confidently as she could.

"Uchiha Sasuke and I...we're both similar. I fought him with all I could, but he was strong. Stronger than I thought. But it was strange because when I looked into his eyes...I saw pain, regret and...and I saw myself. We're both monsters in our own ways."

"Gaara-san..." she leaned her head on the wall, closing her eyes to feel the pensive atmosphere. She didn't even realise that it was uncharacteristic of him to talk so much. "Everyone has their own monsters. Sasuke-kun, Naruto-kun, Sakura-san, you...and myself. Y-You're not alone. You just have to believe in yourself and move forward."

There was a pause, and Hinata started to wonder if she had said the right thing. Her eyes fluttered open and she got to her feet, fingers reaching for the ledge. Once she pulled it, there wouldn't be any barriers between them anymore. She would lose that feeling of protection, and perhaps a little bit of her pride, but she came to realise that such things were trivial and worth sacrificing for something perhaps more important.

"Thanks."

She stopped for a moment to register his words, before covering her mouth in shock for the second time. Sabaku no Gaara had just thanked her, and she thought it wasn't possible to get him to utter those words of gratitude. There was some shuffling again, and the footsteps were getting further away. Feeling a surge of energy, Hinata quickly unlatched the door and stepped out only to see him opening the main door.

"Ne, Gaara-san," she uttered softly, though it echoed throughout the small room.

He simply turned around to regard her.

"Everything will be okay." With that, Hinata gave him the biggest smile she could manage. Gaara stuffed his left hand into his pocket (his other one being in a cast) and planted his foot forward to keep the door open, purposely averting her gaze when he felt his cheeks burn.

"You all say the same stupid things," he muttered.

"Who?"

"Uzumaki Naruto. Right before he left with the others he came to see me."

Hinata wrung her fingers together and pursed her lips in confusion, realising for the first time that she had completely forgotten about the person she supposedly loved. Even after Gaara left, she remained frozen to the spot.

Very slowly, she turned her head to look at her reflection in the mirror. She took a step forward and touched her face on the clear glass. Those swollen eyes, puffy cheeks and red nose – was that really her? She gasped and reeled back violently, accidentally slamming her back onto one of the cubicles in the process. A numbing sensation shot through her back but her focus was elsewhere.

It took her several seconds more to realise that things had changed, even though she had tried so hard to deny it. Now the truth was blatant and there was no form of protection, no way for her to hide from it.

 _That isn't me anymore._

* * *

 **AN:** Hello, I shall formally address **hanabirakokoro** 's question: Will/Does Gaara like Hinata? The answer is...it's complicated. Haha don't bash me guys, but it really is. Sometimes things like these are never truly black or white.

In my opinion, they would make an interesting couple but I won't be exploring that in this fic. In this universe, Gaara is clearly incapable of forging a romantic relationship with anyone because he is afraid to love and probably has no idea what it really is in the first place. One thing for sure, he has a soft spot for her, but that's about as far as it goes.

Another thing, Sakura isn't a bad person. People like her are pretty common, in fact, and that's why things always go wrong. No I don't mean it in the way you think. She has the freedom to love but that's not enough, she wants her love returned. The problem is when one's interests clash with another's, that's when you realise not everyone can be happy, and happiness itself is a selfish thing to want. That's why living can sometimes be painful. Or am I wrong?

This Christmas...my wish is to have the adults accept me for being different, instead of blaming me for wanting something other than good grades. What's the point of being called a genius by the people around me when I can't get good grades in school? Haha the adults view me as a spoilt, rebellious _idiot_ because I can't ace the stupid examinations.Sometimes I wish I really were as stupid as they thought, then I wouldn't have to see the real yet ugly side of humanity. I wish they would realise that the youths aren't as fortunate as people think, because truly nothing is as simple as it was before.

Thanks again for reading, both the fic and the AN. It's just, well, a tiny disclosure of the author's personal life. Hope it didn't really disturb you or anything. I mean...in the end I'm just a child. I'm sorry.


	12. Chapter 12

**AN:** Hey everyone, I'm back and I have something to confess...

I AM STARTING HIGH SCHOOL IN A FEW DAYS TIME!

Surprise, surprise! I can't believe I'm writing this romance fic when I haven't even entered high school haha XD I'm so excited wootz! Did I mention I have never been in a relationship either? Ehhhh don't even ask how I can crap out something like this. I really have no clue what it's like to fall in love but I guess it can hurt...

This will be the last chapter before the epilogue, provided things go as planned. I already know that by the end of this chap, a whole bunch of you are gonna go "nooooooo!" but don't worry so much alright? I got this okay, trust me. XDD

On another note, I was listening to Jungkook and Rap Monster's cover of "Fools" by Troye Sivan as I wrote this. It's a good song, maybe those of y'all who haven't heard it should go check it out because personally I think it would make a very befitting theme for this chapter. Just saying. :-)

* * *

 **Part XII**

 _Nara Shikamaru_

 _Hyuuga Neji_

Uchiha Sasuke

Sabaku no Temari

Hyuuga Hinata

"Hinata-sama."

Hinata spun around to face her cousin. Neji wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders, congratulating her for the achievement.

It was graduation day, and also the day when everyone received their results. It was a day where one could see some students cheering ecstatically from the hallways to the cafeteria, some eagerly calling their parents to announce the good news, some frantically searching the Internet for college application criterias, and most of all, the bunch who would crouch in one isolated corner and bawl their eyes out. It was a day of happiness and sadness, since everyone was moving on to become adults.

Strangely speaking, Hinata did not fit into any of those categories. She felt more empty than anything else. All at once, she recalled the countless times when Sasuke would tutor her at his house. He was always patient, and unlike her father, he never hurt her pride when she was unable to solve a question. She brought a hand to her chest and looked up at Neji, whose brows were currently furrowed. Nothing escaped his eyes, and she knew that he was aware of her feelings.

"Let's go somewhere else, Hinata-sama," he proposed. Hinata nodded weakly, and Neji grabbed her elbow while pushing away the hoard of students crowding in front of the bulletin board.

They entered Hinata's desolate classroom and shut the door behind them. Hinata had her head down as Neji watched her idly from the corner of his eyes. There was a tense silence where nothing but their breathing could be heard in the eerily silent room.

Then, Hinata started making her way to the window. She turned to the left and walked down the aisle slowly, finally halting at a particular desk. She opened the window sill slightly to let in a few rays of sunlight which she shielded her eyes from.

"The view from your seat is nice," Neji suddenly remarked.

"It isn't mine," Hinata replied solemnly, which confused Neji for a moment.

"Naruto's?"

"No..."

Neji didn't probe further and Hinata was grateful for that. She bent down and scooted in to make herself comfortable on the seat. Her fingers couldn't stop fiddling beneath the table, and this did not escape Neji. He strutted down the aisle towards her and sat on the table opposite her, facing the window. She didn't even glance up at him for a second.

"Is it normal to feel this way?" Hinata asked quietly.

"What way?" Neji eyed her closely, but all he could see was a disturbed expression.

"This unhappy, even when I made it to the top five." Hinata rested her arms on the table and nestled her head there, turning to face Neji with a blank expression. From a glance it would seem that she could finally relax after all those study sessions – both with and without Sasuke – knowing that they paid off, but he knew his cousin better. Her eyes were bereft of any feelings at all – no joy, no sadness, nothing. It was empty, and he wasn't sure if he could understand why. "Otou-san used to tell me that hard work would pay off. This time, I really tried so hard. I-It was...it was so painful, Neji-nii. I studied like I would die if I didn't, but...but..."

"Hinata-sama..."

"I d-don't feel so good now."

Neji slid down from the table and put a hand on her back. "I can bring you to the infirmary to rest." Instead, Hinata shook her head and took Neji's hand in hers. She sat up and brought his hand to her chest to feel her heartbeat. He was about to pull away awkwardly when her words pierced through the fog in his brain.

"It hurts here."

Hinata let go of his hand and turned to gaze out of the window. It was winter and the leaves had already fallen, yet she was still mildly intrigued by the scenery. Bright sun rays peeked through milky white clouds, lighting up the dim city to form a picturesque landscape that was calming to the eye. However, a cold breeze entered the class through the windowsill and Hinata involuntarily shivered. Neji reached out to close the window but she stopped him. He stared at her in bewilderment but retracted his hand.

"I-It's like that. I know I can apply to many prestigious universities, Otou-san m-might be happy with me, and I could have a fresh start. But...but it still feels cold." Hinata balled her hands into fists and looked down, biting her lip to control the tears that threatened to fall. "Ne, what's the point of this rank when it doesn't make me happy? I...I don't really know what I studied so hard for."

"Hinata-sama, you did well. Like it or not, you have to move on. The friends you have here, if they're meant to stay with you then they will. Don't have any regrets when you leave."

"What do I want?" Hinata bit out, "w-what do I even want to do in this life? I can't seem to do anything well at all."

Neji bent down to stroke her head, letting his fingers tangle with the soft strands of her hair. He looked at her in sorrow, feeling her words wound him. It was a weird feeling, like he was being attacked, yet it was a kind of ache that he couldn't get rid off. Finally, he gulped and forced his voice out. "You want to be strong, Hinata-sama. You told me that when you were 8 years old. Even after everything we've gone through, I haven't forgotten that, so neither should you."

Hinata raised her head and smiled a genuine smile. She didn't show her teeth this time, but Neji could tell it was bittersweet. There was something bothering his poor cousin, but he knew he wasn't in any position to question her.

"Hai, I'll be strong. Thank you Neji-niisan." He simply nodded in acceptance and took a step back. She stood up from the seat and walked to the door, getting ready to meet her friends in the hall. Neji followed her closely without saying another word. Once again, Hinata was grateful.

* * *

Neji was quickly pulled away by Tenten and Lee to take pictures, leaving Hinata alone in the crowded assembly area. The atmosphere was lively, with happy exclamations and loud wails coupled with upbeat music reverberating in the whole room. She stood in the corner of the hall feeling slightly out of place, since the only people who approached her were random batchmates who briefly congratulated her for her outstanding results. She would simply bow in thanks before returning to stand as straight as a pole.

All of a sudden she heard her name before a familiar face appeared in her vision. Sakura squeezed past the crowd with a camera in hand, followed by Ino. Hinata discreetly pinched herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming, only to realise that Sakura was indeed standing right in front of her.

"Hinata I just want to say I'm sorry." Sakura lowered her head and put a hand to her heart. "I haven't been a good friend recently and I want you to know that I wasn't in the right mind. You didn't deserve having to put up with my shit, since it was all my fault. Thinking back, you've done so much for me in the past few years and I thought I should clear the mess between us so we can both leave this school without regretting anything."

Hinata broke into a smile and nodded. She could not suppress the burst of happiness that shot through her being the moment Sakura uttered those words, and for an instant she thought that it was really possible to move on from high school – and keep in contact with friends like Sakura.

Sakura beamed in return and tossed her camera to Ino. "Let's take a polaroid together, shall we?"

Before Hinata could answer, Sakura pulled her into a hug and leaned her head on hers. She laughed and reciprocated the gesture. Ino grinned and snapped two photos. Sakura passed one of the polaroids to Hinata and bid her goodbye after rattling off about hunting down her other friends. Ino stayed behind for a quick hug but left to catch up with Sakura.

"HINATAAAAA!" She spun around only to find herself being embraced tightly by the loud-mouthed blonde whom she had idolized for the longest time.

"Picture, picture, picture! Oi teme! Hurry up!"

Hinata stiffened and pulled away from Naruto, though he did not notice the sudden change in her disposition. Sasuke soon emerged from the crowd, and Hinata locked eyes with him. They hadn't met for almost a week since the camp came to an end, and Hinata only just realised how much she had missed him. Those coal black eyes that would soften whenever they landed on her seemed to have hardened, and she had to bite her lip to prevent herself from breaking into a sobbing mess again.

"Naruto," he said dryly without breaking the eye contact, "your camera."

"Your phone has better quality! And the filters man, don't forget the filters!" Naruto hollered to make himself heard amidst the clamorous surroundings.

"I choose what I want stored in my phone, now hand me yours."

Naruto made a pouty face and fished out the camera from his right pocket, all the while having an arm slung around Hinata's shoulders. He did not notice her frown and look away, nor did he see her bring her hands in front of her to twiddle her thumbs again. Although Sasuke also broke the stare to look at his best friend, his face remained completely blank as if he was ignoring her feelings.

When the camera was callously tossed to him, Sasuke simply caught the device and took several pictures of the duo. Seeing Naruto being all clingy towards Hinata irked him but he made sure he gave off no sign of his annoyance. When asked if he wanted to take a photo with Hinata too, he simply brushed Naruto off and closed the distance between them. In one swift motion, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her out of the hall.

"Oi! Sasuke! Where are you taking her?"

He turned around to see Naruto poking his head out from the doors, eyeing him with a strange expression. They looked at each other for several seconds, trying to read the other, until finally Naruto's features softened and he nodded. He waved Hinata goodbye, but she noticed the distinct melancholy behind his veil of happiness, and then she watched him turn his back on her.

Sasuke tugged her gently and she followed, deciding not to look back.

* * *

It was a cold day in November, but most of all Hinata felt cold inside.

Sasuke had led her to his mother's grave right after the ceremony and introduced her formally as the "person she wanted to meet". She listened to his stories about Mikoto, and slowly she crumpled onto the ground, fingernails digging into the fabric of her skirt as she cried. She didn't know why she had been crying so much, but she felt terribly vulnerable when Sasuke wasn't there for her.

Now she knew why he got angered the last time they spoke. The person he loved most in his family had died, and she couldn't help but blame herself for being so ignorant.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke-kun...I'm sorry, I'm sorry...so sorry..." she rattled on in between violent sobs. She trembled when she felt a hand on her back, caressing her spine slowly in an attempt to soothe her.

"It's over already, Hinata. Stop apologizing, I'm not angry with you."

"A-Ah..." She began wiping her tears when Sasuke stood up. He waited for her to wipe her face clean of tears before taking her wrist. She looked at him in confusion as he placed something in her hand, but he folded her fingers in before she could get a good look. They stood there in silence for several moments, until Hinata's eyes trailed to his chest and she gasped.

His second button was gone.

He smiled at her for the first time in what seemed like an eternity ago and she almost broke into tears again. However, his smile slowly disappeared and was replaced with a solemn frown. He let go of her hand and shifted his gaze to his mother's tomb.

"Hinata, I'm going overseas for college but I'll be leaving in a week. I won't be back until I complete my law course. In other words, I won't be seeing you for a long time, and I've made up my mind."

Hinata bit her lip and looked down, knowing that it couldn't possibly end well.

"Hyuuga Hinata, I'm giving up on you."

She snapped her head up and looked at him in shock. In truth she didn't know why she was so surprised, since it was something that she should have expected. There was no way Sasuke would keep chasing her if she didn't bend to his will, even after all this time. It was impractical, and realistically speaking Sasuke would only drown in his own sorrows if this went on.

Yet, a part of her was selfish and she wanted his affection back. She was only human after all, and she only just realised that she had already swayed. Now that he decided to brush her off, she felt more hurt than she ought to.

 _I...I must tell him that I like him too._

"S-Sasuke-kun I..."

She faltered in her speech and he raised a brow. Technically it should be easier to say it since she knew that he still harboured feelings for her, but it just dawned on her that she wasn't sure if what she said would turn out to be a lie. Her uncertainty clouded her mind and she found herself being unable to speak those words.

"I..."

"Hinata."

"H-Hai?"

"I'll walk you home." He casually took her hand again and dragged her out of the cemetery. She was startled out of her thoughts by this gesture but she kept her eyes on his back. That uniform would be shed off after today, and she might never see him again. That thought alone made her wince.

"Don't be like that," he chided, "it isn't the end of the world."

"B-But..."

"Don't make things sadder than they already are."

Hinata looked down at her feet and nodded. What else could she do?

* * *

They took a bus to her house, the ride being long and rather awkward. They were packed like sardines in the vehicle, and most of the time Hinata found herself an inch away from his torso. There were several instances when the bus jerked and she knocked into him, but he simply brushed off her apology. They were so close, she could lean forward and hug him for perhaps the last time, but she held back due to her shyness. A strange sense of disappointment welled up in her core when she failed to make a move before they got off the bus.

They walked down a quiet street towards the Hyuuga compound. Each step was small but heavy, and Sasuke knew that she was somehow affected by his confession. He couldn't help it though, since it was the only good idea at that moment. He had to learn to move on, knowing it was merely part of growing up. A new environment would help his case and give himself more time for some introspection.

He stopped abruptly next to a small cherry blossom tree, and Hinata halted in her footsteps as well. She stared at him blankly as he reached out and plucked a cherry blossom from the tree and tucked it neatly into her hair. She blushed heavily and looked down, earning a small smile from him.

"Smile for me," he said, pretending not to notice her gulp. Hinata took a deep breath and smiled gently. She supposed she looked rather goofy, but in his eyes she was beautiful. He whipped out his phone and snapped a picture before she could react. Right after the 'click' was heard, her eyes widened so much he thought they would pop out, then she rushed to his side and tried to make a grab for his phone. This resulted in their bodies crashing into each other's and she squeaked. He simply smirked.

"S-Show me the picture!" she so-called demanded in a mock angry tone. He merely waved her off and continued walking in the direction of her house. She trailed behind him and folded her arms like a stubborn kid.

"You didn't look ugly," he replied with a casual shrug. She simply pouted and didn't say anything else. The tension had almost fully dissipated by then, and Hinata found herself enjoying this moment with Sasuke. It was a quiet one that allowed them both to think deeply.

Finally, they reached her doorstep and she looked down, unwilling to enter for she was afraid that he would leave. She could invite him in, but she knew that he would decline. What should she do? There was nothing left that she could do if he decided to move on, but she found herself unable to let go of the special bond they had. It was terribly complicated and difficult, more so than any math equation she had been thrown to solve. After all, feelings were something no one had a straight formula to work out.

"I...I like you t-too," she blurted all of a sudden. It was a desperate attempt to get him to stay, so she closed her eyes and waited for a response. But she got none. Her heart leaped when she cracked open an eye and saw him smile, but on closer inspection it was rather wistful.

"We're not meant to be," he stated as a matter of fact. "Hyuuga and Uchiha don't mix. You're everything good, and I'm everything bad. You're gonna disagree, but that's the truth Hinata."

"N-No..."

"Don't ever change for anyone else, including me. This is for the best."

Hinata reached into the pocket of her jacket and pulled out the button that he had given to her. "I-If that's how you want it then t-take it back." She stretched out her hand and waited for him to take it back but he didn't.

"Hinata," he started taking steps back while ruffling his hair uncharacteristically as he spoke, "you decide if you wanna keep it. Asking me to take it back is stupid, because I don't think I'll ever regret loving you."

He turned away and started walking. She took a deep breath and ran after him, tugging on his sleeve forcefully. When he didn't stop, she stepped forward and stood in his way. Since he was being intercepted, he had no choice but to give her his attention.

"Will we still be friends?" she asked hesitantly.

He closed his eyes for a moment. "We'll see how things turn out," he replied and started walking again. She tugged on his sleeve once again, but this time he stopped in his tracks.

"In that case, can I...ano...take a picture with you?" she blurted out in a hurry. "A-As friends," she quickly added. He turned around and grabbed her chin. They stared at each other for the longest time before he closed the distance between them.

It had been ages since Hinata last felt this ecstatic. She felt her heart take a giant leap when their lips touched. However, the feeling didn't last when he pulled away. It was gone all too quickly, unlike the first time they kissed, and Hinata found herself wanting more.

"You're too beautiful, Hinata." That was all he said before he turned his back and left, leaving her speechless and hurting.

 _You're too beautiful for us to be in the same picture._

~.~.~

 _I'm sorry (I hate you)_

 _I love you (I hate you)_

 _Forgive me._

 _~.~.~_

 **AN:** Goodnight everyone, please don't kill me in my sleep alright? :'D The epilogue will sum up the whole story, so technically this isn't the last chapter. Once again, thank you to all my faithful reviewers (and readers of course) for having the will to read this far. It'll end well, I promise. :-)

P.S Relationships are so complicated since none of them are perfect. Wow. I don't wanna grow up XD


	13. Epilogue

_I'm a writer who has lost his focus,_

 _How am I supposed to end this novel?_

 _I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you,_

 _I keep writing these three words,_

 _My overused pen upon this tear-stained paper._

 _This story can't be happy or sad._

 _~.~.~_

 **Part XIII (Epilogue)**

 _Sasuke didn't believe in regrets. It was something cultivated over the years, a mindset shaped from his own experiences. He was a rational person, and he made decisions knowing for sure that the process of working for something would be worth it. He didn't lie when he told Hinata he would never regret loving her._

 _He remembered feeling his heart skip when she admitted to taking an interest in him, even if it was only slightly and hesitantly. It was better than nothing, and honestly speaking he was pleased when he heard it. For a moment he contemplated taking back his words to simply have her in his arms, even if it wouldn't last. Sasuke didn't believe in 'forever' either, but he knew for sure he would do every possible thing to keep her._

 _Unfortunately, people had to make decisions. Life was, to a certain extent, about choices. He had spent the past week dwelling on his future and he finally came to a conclusion – if he wanted to pursue an overseas education, he had to let Hinata go. Even if she claimed she reciprocated some of his feelings, it wouldn't be fair to start a long-distance relationship. Anything built out of it would only be fragile, ready to crumble with a single flick of fate's finger. Most of all, it would be unfair to Hinata. He didn't deserve to be with her from the very beginning, and treating her like this only served to reaffirm the fact that his initial decision was the wisest._

 _He honestly thought it was all over after he kissed her, and he intended it to be that way even though a small part of him felt bitter. "It's okay, I'll live with it," he told himself countless times, though it did nothing to make himself feel better. He was ready to take a step towards a new life – college life – until he heard that damned voice._

 _"Sasuke-kun!"_

 _For a while he simply stood as still as a statue, trying to process if he was imagining her voice again. He was at the airport for God's sake, about to pass through the customs. Everyone had already said their goodbyes to him, all except..._

 _He heard the soft pitter-patter of footsteps stop right behind him, and he slowly turned around. However, before he could turn around fully he felt a pair of arms wrap around his torso. He glanced down and saw the familiar hands that he always enjoyed touching. This time, however, she was initiating the contact between them. He kind of liked it._

 _"I-I cannot say this to your face, so p-please bear with me," she said in a hushed tone. She didn't even give him a chance to reply when she continued hurriedly, "Ano...thank you for everything you've done for me. I u-understand if there are more important things to you, but I just want to say I'm sorry...I'm sorry for not giving you a chance before, I-I'm also sorry for not realising what I was doing. I-I'm sorry for hurting you-"_

 _"Hinata...just shut up."_

 _She was taken aback by the harsh response and jumped back. He turned around and grinned slightly, causing her to avert her gaze to her feet._

 _"Don't forget me," was all he said._

 _She looked up only to have her forehead flicked at with his index and middle fingers, a rather odd gesture. Then he turned to leave, but this time she didn't stop him._

* * *

Sasuke opened his door to find the one person he never expected to see.

"May I come in?"

"Uh sure..." He stepped aside to let Hinata in, all the while eyeing her every move. He watched her bend down to unstrap her slight heels, paying attention to the delicate movement of her fingers. She huffed in frustration when she couldn't dislodge the hook that was stuck, her long silky hair falling over her shoulder as she bent lower for a better angle.

She froze when a pair of hands touched her ankle, deftly unclasping the hook and freeing the strap. He quickly stood up from his kneeling position and strut back into the living room with an air of nonchalance. Hinata blushed slightly as she slipped out of her shoes, making her way in after him.

"It's been...some time. So what brings you here?" Sasuke began while preparing a cup of tea in the kitchen.

"It has only been six months," she laughed, "is it wrong for me to visit a friend?"

Sasuke merely grunted in response and took hold of the kettle. The only audible sound was the sloshing of hot water in the cup, which was strangely satisfying to listen to. There was a long silence, but unlike before there was a slight tension in the air. After a moment he returned to the living room and placed the drink on the coffee table. She thanked him appreciatively and a small smile made its way onto his lips.

She picked up the cup and sniffed at it, before her eyes widened slightly.

"Is this vanilla tea?" Her smile was so blinding, Sasuke just couldn't look at her straight in the face even after all this time.

"Yeah..."

"Thank you, it's my favourite flavour actually."

"Yeah I knew."

"But I thought you don't like it though..."

"Well...yeah. I don't."

"Oh."

Another awkward silence passed before Sasuke cleared his throat. Even his job interviews were never this awkward. This time he made an attempt to start the conversation again.

"Is it semester break now or something?"

"Y-Yeah! I thought it'd be nice if I went on a short trip for a break, so here I am. I kinda wanted to come anyway..."

"I see. So what course are you taking?"

"Psychiatry."

"I suppose it suits you."

"Yeah..."

. . .

"Hinata I'm sorry I suck at this."

To his surprise she starts laughing with a hand over her mouth. He realised he kinda missed the sound of it.

"Anyway, how did you get my address?"

"Itachi-san gave it to me. We've been in contact all this while actually."

"Tch...well I should've expected this. Not that I have a problem with you here."

"Um...s-so how's life?"

"Fine I guess. You?"

"Y-Yeah...you have a girlfriend now?" she asked lightheartedly, that radiant smile never leaving her face. Sasuke wondered if that was some trick question.

"I broke up with her," he answered tersely.

"Oh...I'm sorry to hear that."

"It's fine. I never really liked her anyway."

"Why?"

"She was so fucking clingy, it got kinda scary. There was once I reached home and found her lying on my couch. Till now I have no fucking clue how she managed to find her way in when my door was locked."

Hinata gasped and tried to suppress her laughter but to no avail. Sasuke simply rolled his eyes at her amusement.

"Let's stop talking about Karin. Anyway, I guess you can make yourself at home."

"Okay, thank you."

He leaned back on the spacious armchair and crossed his legs. Hinata marvelled at the young adult's features which were currently scrunched up in distaste. His fingers moved swiftly across the keyboard to type a message, and Hinata couldn't help but wonder who was the recipient.

Instead of minding her own business, she sneaked over to his side not-so-discreetly and tilted her head to peek at his phone. She was expecting him to withdraw his hand to keep his privacy, but to her surprise he merely shot her a quick glance and returned to texting.

 _Naruto: Have fun with Hinata! B)_

 _Sasuke: Even you knew about her coming. Seriously?_

 _Naruto: Teme you should grow some balls and ask her to stay over, I don't think she'll mind_

"Sasuke-kun can I have a look?"

He wordlessly passed her his phone, much to her surprise, since it felt like he was entrusting her with this device. Was he always this trusting to everyone? A part of her hoped not.

Now she simply looked at the screen with a blank expression, repeating Naruto's words in her mind over and over. Then she began typing. Sasuke eyed her curiously, but he knew that she could be trusted. She wasn't going to try anything funny.

Or so he thought.

He almost fell over when he read the reply she sent under his name.

 _Sasuke: What balls?_

Before he could salvage the situation, Naruto's instantaneous reply came in like a wrecking ball.

 _Naruto: HAHAHAHAHAHAHA TEME YOUR STUPIDITY KNOWS NO BOUNDS_

 _Sasuke: You dumbshit, that wasn't sent by me_

 _Sasuke: Only an idiot like you would think that even for a moment_

"So do you want to?" he asked without looking at her.

"Want to what?"

"Never mind."

Sasuke didn't really know to feel.

* * *

"I-I think I should be going, Sasuke-kun," Hinata whispered. The house was silent, but she could hear her heart thumping beneath her chest. She had had enough of the tense atmosphere for one whole afternoon. There were so many words stuck in her throat, but none managed to make it out, and she knew that the same could be said for Sasuke. Yet, she couldn't blame him either.

She clutched her handbag to her chest and looked at him expectantly from beneath her bangs. There was a strange gleam in his eyes as he nodded slightly. "Thank you," she said quietly.

"Hn. It's nothing."

Even though she felt the need to turn and see herself out, her legs weren't cooperating. They stood in front of each other for a long moment simply staring into each others' eyes, trying to make out what the other was thinking.

Then, she did something rather unexpected. She took several strides forward and embraced the stoic man tightly, feeling every inch of his well-built body on her own soft one. There was a long moment when neither moved. His hands lay limply at his sides and Hinata frowned at this. She was about to pull away to look at his expression but it was at that moment when he snaked his arms around her waist and pulled her in.

"Don't go," he mumbled, "stay with me."

Hinata remembered the last time he uttered those words, in the cold room after his karate match with Neji. She didn't leave then, and she wouldn't this time either. Yet, a part of her still clung onto some semblance of reality, screaming to her that this very notion was ludicrous. People were like the river, they always came and left wave after wave, and forever was nothing more than an ideal. Her family would never approve of their relationship anyway, and that made her sad.

Sasuke felt his shirt getting soaked with her tears, and his stomach did a flip at this. Somehow without her telling him, he understood why she was crying, so he did the only thing he could. He stood still and combed her hair in an attempt to soothe her, fingers slipping between long strands of velvety hair. It had been way too long, and he only just found out how much he missed this feeling – the feeling of being needed, the feeling of having to protect.

A short moment later the two lowered themselves onto the floor, Hinata settled between his long legs as her arms remained draped across his shoulders and around his neck. Neither knew how to approach the forbidden topic.

"Don't think about anything...everything will be alright," he said.

"I d-didn't lie to you Sasuke-kun."

"About what?"

"I really missed you...I-I did alot of thinking, and I realised it wasn't the same a-after you left." She took a deep breath and pulled away, willing herself to look him in the eye. "D-Do you um...do you still love me?"

Sasuke smirked slightly at her shyness. "Yeah. You haven't changed after all."

"T-Then nothing else matters."

He laughed and stroked her head affectionately, something rather uncharacteristic of him. However, Hinata was always the exception and he had long accepted her as his weakness. He was already an adult but she never failed to make him act like a boy again. A boy who relentlessly sought for love from his teenage crush.

Sasuke knew that he was a wretched person, but at least someone was willing to travel all the way here to tell him that he was accepted. It made him feel good, yet guilty at the same time because it wasn't something he deserved.

But that didn't change the fact that he would still take whatever he could get.

"M-My father got angry that I wanted to seek you out," she muttered. Her eyes were glistening with tears but she formed a small smile. Sasuke merely rolled his eyes.

"Just do whatever you want, don't let others stop you," he replied matter-of-factly.

"Y-Yeah, Naruto-kun told me that. Neji-nii wasn't happy either but at least he fetched me to the airport. H-He reminds me of you sometimes."

"I'm in no way similar to that prick, Hinata."

She giggled and hit his shoulder to which he shrugged off dismissively and rolled his eyes again. This was the Sasuke she remembered, and it delighted her that he still retained this aspect of his personality.

"Gaara-kun told me to say hi for him as well. He was at the airport with me too."

"Oh yeah? I'm surprised you two still kept in contact."

"Y-Yeah! He has changed quite a bit. I have a photo here..." She fished out her phone from her bag and clicked onto her gallery. He raised his brow when she showed him a selfie taken by the redhead himself. His hair was still spiky but this time it was gelled carefully to look less unkempt. The tattoo on his forehead was ever so striking as he remembered it to be, and the rest of his face looked more or less the same. Even in photos he never smiled, but just the thought of him sending a selfie to Hinata disturbed him in more ways than one.

"Tch I'm not impressed. I'm still better-looking than the midget," he stated indifferently. Hinata sighed and shook her head while trying to hide the smile on her face. "It's alright I know you agree with me. Don't try to hide it," he added on shamelessly. Sasuke merely leaned back to look at the ceiling when she hit him again. It felt good to be able to talk to her normally again.

"Let's just stay together like this for a while more," he said. Hinata eyed him carefully and nodded. After all, it was in his arms that she felt safe. Without anyone else, there would be no judgement, no sarcasm, just two of them alone and it felt good.

"Promise me this, Sasuke-kun," Hinata whispered as she lifted her pinky finger, much like the first time, "nothing shall come between us again."

Sasuke didn't respond for a moment, staring deep into her eyes while processing the new information. Just when Hinata was about to retract her hand out of embarrassment again, he reached out and hooked his pinky finger with hers. A second later he slipped his fingers through hers and planted a chaste kiss on her lips. She blushed and looked away bashfully, turning back into the mousey little girl she was.

Knowing how unpredictable life could be, there might come a day when they had to go their separate ways, but Hinata made a promise to herself that she would make the best out of the time they had together, and hope that all this would be enough to preserve some happiness.

Sasuke had always been there for her, even if he may not have realised it. That itself gave her reason to move on from Naruto and give him a chance. Sure, she knew that love was a gamble, but she was old enough and she was game for it.

Call her selfish, call her mad, but that was the way it meant to be.

"We shouldn't be, Sasuke-kun. But I'll do my best to keep us together."

"Likewise."

They shared a knowing look and closed the distance between themselves.

 _If it's meant to last then it will._

~.~.~

 _Make me run,_

 _Make me run more._

 _Let my feet rip apart with wounds,_

 _At least I can smile when I see you._

* * *

 **AN:** I sincerely apologise for the super long hiatus for this story. I never intended to make you guys wait so damn long for one chapter, so once again I'm really sorry. I just had so much work to do from school...

Anyway, thank you so much for reading this story. I admit it's a little rushed because I'm aware that I can't keep updating very often so, well better end it asap HAHA! I'm not sure if the ending is to your preference, but anyway I had fun writing this story and I hope you liked the themes as well. To those who aren't satisfied with the ending, I'm sorry but I guess I tried.

On a more personal note, I actually have a list of stories in mind that I'd like to write, both original and fanfics, so I was thinking of writing again when there's time. If it's a SasuHina fanfic then it'll most probably be in the original universe, so is anyone interested? I really like you guys, so if y'all are interested in reading more works from me I'm willing to try and write another story for y'all :-) But I need time of course, haha!

Let me know by leaving a review or a personal message, and I'll take your feedback into consideration. Thank you!

" _Well haters gon hate and players gon play,_

 _Mothafuckers keep mothafucking all day."_

And lastly to ARMYs out there, my bias is V and my otp is VKook XD But I don't think I'll ever write (romantic) fanfics about the two of them because they're so precious, it'll be wrong to do such things...so yeah. But yay, ARMY is family right? High-five! HAHAHA:-P


	14. UPDATE

**UPDATE!**

Hello my dear followers, I've uploaded a new story titled _Scarlet Thread,_ so I hope you'll check it out!

It has a pretty different concept with a mix between the ninja universe and modern society. But more importantly it's a SasuHina story, albeit with a great deal of tension and mystery mixed in their relationship. I'm not a very cheesy person, so I guess such genres are more of my specialty, heh. But don't worry, it won't be too boring.

If you do happen to read it though, I hope you like it! Feel free to pm me anytime if you have any other suggestions:-)

Thank you! ~


End file.
